In the Middle
by The Happiness
Summary: Jill and Marlin have a wonderful friendship; they may even get married one day! But when Skye sets his sights on the female farmer's fortune, friendship might not be enough to save the farmer from falling in love with a con-man. Will Marlin get the courage to protect Jill as more than a friend? Will Skye succeed in stealing more than just Jill's fortune? Find out here!
1. Bad Intentions

Hi everyone! I've been playing HMDS Cute lately, and it has inspired me to write this fanfiction. It'll be a fun ride, I promise! ;) I don't own these characters or this franchise, though I'm sure they would be fun to work for one day.

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"Between Rock and a Hard Place"

Rock grabbed Lumina's shoulder and spun her around, passion in his eyes.

"I can't let you go." Rock said, pulling Lumina close.

"Oh, Rock... But what about the terminal cancer?" Lumina whispered, slipping her hands around his neck.

"I will love you until the day you die..." Rock whispered back. Together, they closed their eyes and leaned in for a kiss...

"Should I barf now, or later?" Jill questioned, "It was a clever title, though." Lumina huffed and set down her newly written story.

Jill and Lumina were sitting side by side on Lumina's incredibly soft bed. The room looked like a house by itself, let alone the fact that it occupied half of the top floor of a mansion. It was late at night, but Lumina had insisted that Jill come over even if she did have to get up early. A farmer's work was never done, but neither was a friend's. Jill secretly enjoyed coming over late at night, because that meant she could stop by the bar afterwards if Lumina didn't want her to sleep over.

"I'm trying to be as good as Mary, but it's not working." Lumina whined. Jill got up and stretched, taking a deep breath.

"What do you see in that guy, anyway?" Jill questioned, tightening her ponytail of long, brown hair, "He's got about as much brain as Hugh does." Lumina stuck her tongue out at Jill.

"Uh, hello, he's hot? He's the hottest guy in this guy forsaken valley. He's the only guy with a six pack! And what about that gorgeous tan?" Jill rolled her eyes.

"Okay, so he's not your type," Lumina continued, "I get it. But, who else do you have to choose from here? Gustafa the hippy? Marlin the hick? They're all penniless. I mean, if you like money and older men you could go for Griffin. Not to mention the girls that know the other prospects aren't the best and are honing in on them. I mean, how could you get close to Gustafa when Nami's just around the corner? Celia and Marlin have worked together every day for five years. " Jill sat on the bed by Lumina and sighed.

"I know our prospects aren't the best, but cheer up!" Jill said with a smile, "Marlin's not a hick, he's a gentleman when you get to know him. He's carried me home five times after I drank a little too much... and he'll always pay for a drink or two. Drinks aren't that expensive. Gustafa's not a hippie, he's open-minded. Plus, he's well traveled, so he could take you somewhere exotic. Rock is hot... but not my type of hot. Plus he has no brain! I honestly don't see what you see in him besides the fact that you grew up together." Lumina giggled and blushed, causing Jill to roll her eyes again.

"Okay you drunkard, what's your type of hot?" Lumina questioned. Jill slid the ponytail holder out of her hair and let it hang down. It stopped about halfway down her back. Jill smiled.

"My type of hot?" Jill said, looking deviously at Lumina. Lumina laughed nervously. Jill giggled and bounced up from the bed, curling the plush pink carpet beneath her toes. "My type of hot... is tall. Tall and slender, with soft yet piercing eyes that seem to look into your soul. My type of hot is pale, smooth skin that begs you to touch, lips that make you starving. My type of hot is a low, silky voice that could haunt you in your sleep, and a laugh that sounds like you were already in heaven..." There was a silence in the room as Jill flopped down on the bed. She could almost imagine him now...

"Wow..." Lumina whispered, "I'm in love already. Who is he?" Jill smiled a goofy smile and replied, "I have no idea."

Jill rubbed her eyes and yawned before looking at the beautiful wooden grandfather clock across the room. "Woah, is it that time already?" Jill questioned urgently. Jill's eyes widened as she watched the clock change from 10:59 to 11:00 PM. She had to get up extra early tomorrow to get her chores done before the chicken festival. Greta, her three year old hen was going to compete tomorrow, and she wanted to properly cheer her on. She hoped she was okay staying in someone else's barn for the night.

"I've got to go..." Jill said, "but we should do this again when your next story is written! I'd love to hear more of that dramatic shoulder spin action." Jill winked and Lumina giggled. Waving goodbye, Jill left Lumina's room and swiftly walked down the stairs. She heard some pots and pans in the kitchen, but knew that Romana usually woke Sebastian up this time of night to make her a midnight snack. Maybe an 11:30 snack was in order tonight. Jill quietly walked out of the Mansion and shut the door tightly behind her, pausing for a moment to look up at the moon.

Suddenly, someone bumped into Jill from behind, causing her to tumble forward into the beautiful, yet rock solid marble fountain. Hair still out of its ponytail was now wet and covering her face. She felt somebody help her up. Swiftly coming to her senses, Jill looked down at herself and moaned in despair, pushing her hair away from the right side of her face. She started to turn towards the person who had pushed her.

"Gosh Lumina, you could have just called from the window," Jill said ringing out her shirt, "If you wanted a hug I would have-" Jill stopped in her tracks. She wasn't looking at Lumina, but at a man's chest, covered in leopard print. She slowly looked up and met a set of piercing blue eyes, the moon illuminating hair as bright as silver. If ever there was a man that embodied the beauty of the valley at night, it would be him. Jill realized she was staring and decided to continue ringing out her shirt.

"What are you doing in the mansion so late?" Jill questioned. She thought she knew all of Lumina's family, but maybe she was wrong. She had a feeling that she wasn't dealing with some distant relative. Lumina would have gloated for an hour at a visitor if there had been one.

"Oh, just borrowing a few things." The man said. His voice almost made Jill's knees give out. Determined to not let attraction get in the way of practicality, Jill looked straight up into his eyes quizzically. "Borrowing?" Jill questioned, "You mean, stealing?"

"Oh my," The man chuckled, "I didn't expect someone so beautiful to catch on so quickly." Jill frowned and clenched her fists. "Are you saying that women who are pretty don't know how to think?"

"No," the man said, "I was just making the observation that you are both shockingly beautiful and incredibly intelligent." Jill opened her mouth to reply before Lumina came charging out of the door.

"You!" Lumina pointed angrily, "I want my mother's necklace back!"

"I have to go," the man said, "Oh, and the name is Skye. You can call me the Prince of the Night. I hope our fates are intimately intertwined... if they are, I'll be sure to see you later." Skye winked and headed down the pathway towards town. Lumina started to run after him.

"Hey, aren't you listening to me?" Lumina asked, "Give me back the jewelry!" Skye turned to Lumina and gave a charming smile that made her stop in her tracks. "You shouldn't let such a beautiful face be ruined by anger." Skye turned and walked away, and Lumina looked after him, as if stunned. She walked after him a few steps, but then started looking around. She came back up, and Jill looked at her expectantly.

"What about your mother's necklace?" Jill asked, ringing out the rest of her hair. She realized that her face was still half covered in wet hair and scowled at herself for having fallen for cheap charm. Putting her hair back in a ponytail, she waited for Lumina's reply.

"He got away..." Lumina blushed, "I guess your dream guy does exist." Lumina giggled to herself and stepped into the house, bouncing with every step. Jill scoffed to herself. "Dream guy? If I run into him again, I'll make sure he won't be able to charm me again. Dream guy my butt." Jill walked down the hill, frustrated. She needed a boost before tomorrow, and it wasn't going to come from the chores. She was headed straight to the bar, soaking wet clothes aside her foul mood could be tamed easily by the warm hug of alcohol.

Marlin sat at the Blue Bar, looking at the clock. It ticked more loudly every second longer he had to wait. It would be closing time soon. Usually Jill was here by now... maybe she had gone to bed early. There was a festival tomorrow, after all. Marlin liked Jill better in the dingy light of the Blue Bar. Not only was she a hilarious drunk, but she was able to let loose and really be herself. He had really gotten to know her over the past few years by just sitting with her in this bar. Marlin sighed and looked at his drink, trying to make it last.

"What's eating you, Marlin?" Griffin asked, wiping out a freshly cleaned glass. Marlin looked up at him and smirked. Griffin had been quite the handsome devil in his prime (or so Vesta had said many a time), but lately he seemed to be getting a little more rough around the edges. He wore more neutral colors, and was more often than not found with scratchy stubble on his face.

Muffy giggled and walked to the other side of the bar, sitting by Marlin. Muffy had gotten more mature in the past couple years as well. Though she had no wrinkles or gray hair, she was much tamer and kinder than when she had first arrived from the city about five years ago. Marlin had arrived at around the same time from the city. He knew what that place did to a person, and he was glad to be back with his older sister Vesta in the valley. His parents had said the fresh air and work would help his health, but he also knew that it was a burden having to host a sick son in your house all the time.

"Haven't you heard, Griffin?" Muffy asked, "He's lovesick." Muffy draped her arm around Marlin and he blushed. He wasn't sure lovesick was the right word, but it was more or less accurate. He would have used 'lovestrong', but that wasn't actually a word.

"Oh?" Griffin asked, "And who's the lucky lady? Have you finally gotten the courage to make your business partnership last a lifetime?" Marlin straightened up, Muffy drawing her arm away.

"'Fraid not," Marlin said, "I used to like Celia more than anything, but lately..." Marlin stopped and scratched his head. Muffy sighed.

"It must be hard liking somebody for five years and having them not notice you." Muffy signaled Griffin to pass her a drink. Marlin finished off his drink and chuckled.

"You said it. Sometimes I think she'll give me a passing glance. Jill is different, though." Marlin said, "She's very attentive and... well, she makes me feel like a man. Celia makes me feel inadequate... like I would always be the one that needs her help. But with Jill... I feel normal every time I talk to her. When I look her way, she's already looking back. Even all the times I carry her home I'm surprised." Griffin chuckled.

"You've carried her more times than you can count. What can you possibly be surprised at by this point?" Griffin asked. Marlin smiled to himself as Griffin refilled his drink.

"I'm surprised... by how someone who does so much hard work can be light enough for me to carry. I'm surprised by how well she fits into my arms, and how fast my heart can beat without me passing out. She makes me feel... strong. Like I'm not sick.. Like I never was." Marlin sighed, taking another drink. Muffy sighed and stood up.

"She sure is a lucky lady," Muffy commented, standing up, "I hope she realizes it before bluebird season is over."

The door opened, and Griffin looked up. Jill stood in the doorway, still dripping from the fountain incident. "Well good evening, Jill." Griffin said, "Have a seat." Jill sighed and walked up to the bar.

"I would love to, Griffin." Jill walked straight to the seat by Marlin and then looked down at herself, "I don't suppose you have a towel, do you?" Muffy went to the back and Marlin stood up and looked her over.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Marlin asked. Jill shook her head, water dripping off of her hair and clothes onto the floor below. She was cold, wet, and wanted to feel warm inside. Her want would soon turn into reality with the wide selection of alcohol that Griffin carried in his shop.

"Okay?" Jill frowned, answering Marlin, "No way. I was just pushed into a fountain by a man who stole Lumina's mother's necklace. Not only that, but he got away because he charmed the pants off of her. She won't even know her necklace is gone until she wakes up tomorrow morning." Jill placed her head in her hand and Marlin sighed, giving her a short hug.

"Isn't he the guy who warns his victims ahead of time?" Marlin asked, sitting back down on his regular stool, "Apparently he stole some fireworks from Casey and Patrick last week. They still don't know how he did it." Jill clenched her fist.

"I just can't believe that jerks like him exist." Jill said. Muffy brought out a towel and Jill thanked her before she sat down on the towel to avoid the wood from soaking up extra moisture. Marlin just sat, trying to think of something to say. He opened his mouth, but ended up taking another drink instead. Jill was busy drying off with the second towel Muffy had given her. The bar's atmosphere was warming her up already. As Jill squeezed her hair into the towel, Griffin got out a glass to prepare Jill's drink.

"I hope you don't catch a cold." Marlin said, staring at the wall of bottles. Jill looked over at him from beneath the towel and raised her eyebrow. Marlin usually tried to make eye contact when speaking to people. Was he trying to hide something? Jill wiped off her face with the towel and draped it over her shoulders.

"Marlin," Jill said, "Are you feeling alright?" Jill watched closely as Marlin blushed. She tried to look at him straight on, but he kept turning his head.

"Wha? What do you mean? I'm feel like I have the strength of ten men!" Marlin rebutted. Marlin mentally facepalmed and looked out the window at the nearby dirt field. Jill shrugged her shoulders and went back to drying her hair and clothes. She thought he was past being shy at this point in their friendship. Maybe his mind was on other things. He did often space out during work. Maybe he had been thinking to himself for awhile before she got there.

"Well do you have the drinking capacity of those ten men?" Jill asked, "Because that could get pretty expensive." Muffy and Griffin chuckled, and Marlin blushed, looking over at Jill.

"Oh!" Jill said, "Your cheeks are red, too! Do you need me to bring you home this time?" Marlin finally let down his guard and laughed. Jill was relieved. Marlin was back.

"No, I think I'm okay. I've only had a couple." Marlin explained before ordering Jill a drink. Jill laughed and smiled at Marlin appreciatively as Griffin set the drink in front of her. Jill took a large swig of her drink and exhaled, setting it back on the counter and letting the warmth crawl down her throat.

"What were you doing up at Lumina's anyway?" Muffy questioned, changing the subject. Jill smiled.

"Lumina was in a writing mood after Mary visited yesterday, so she wanted me to listen to her short story. It's kind of like fan-fiction... but none of the characters are famous. Just real." Jill explained. Muffy nodded and smiled. Griffin put away the last clean glass and decided to take a seat across from Marlin and Jill. Jill took another swig of her drink. It went down smooth, and she could already feel the fuzzy sensation all over her body.

"So," Griffin said, smiling at Jill, "You ever think of getting married?" Jill set down her drink and scratched her head.

"Married?" Jill sighed, "Yeah, I've thought about it. My house is big enough for three or four people to live in it, and my income is through the roof." Muffy giggled.

"Feeling light already? You're awfully honest for just one drink." Muffy said to Jill. Jill giggled and Griffin refilled her drink.

"Yeah. Honestly, I like the idea of getting married. It gets awfully lonely by myself. I've been here for.." Jill started counting the years on her fingers, "Four.. is it four years? Yeah.. four.. four years." Jill took another swig and sighed. "Some women get pets and electric blankets... the others get husbands." Jill finished off her drink again and Griffin refilled the glass, knowing she would pay the tab Thursday night, like usual.

"What about you Marlin?" Griffin asked. Marlin blushed. "Yeah, well..." Jill looked over at Marlin and smiled through the haze of the alcohol.

"Yes. I definitely want to get married." Marlin said, his eyes darting over at Jill. Jill finished off another drink and sighed, smiling. Griffin laughed.

"Well it's settled then! Why don't you two get married?" Marlin's face turned red, and Jill sat up straight. Marlin opened his mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Jill snickered.

"Sure!" Jill said in a drunken daze, "How does the day after tomorrow work for you? Tomorrow is the chicken festival, so I can't-" Jill gasped. "Chicken festival! I have to get home and go to sleep! Oh, I hope Greta won't be mad that I drank before her big day!" Muffy laughed loudly and Griffin chuckled. Marlin's face was still red, but it seemed Jill had forgotten all about the proposal. Griffin refilled her drink one more time.

"This one's on the house," Griffin said. Jill gave a silly smile.

"Thank you, kind sir," Jill said slowly, "You'll make a wonderful pet electric blanket someday." Jill finished off her glass and stretched her hands towards the ceiling of the bar. Muffy smiled at the young farmer and then glanced at Griffin, who was cleaning her glass.

"So... you do want to get married one day?" Marlin asked. He looked over at Jill, but she had already fallen fast asleep. Griffin dried off the glass Jill had used and smiled up at Marlin.

"I don't suppose you would mind taking her home." Griffin said with a knowing smile. Marlin smiled sheepishly back at him and gathered Jill into his arms. He blushed lightly as her head fell against his shoulder, damp hair slowly wetting his shirt. He carried Jill out of the Blue Bar, looking down at her. She was beautiful, even when she was sleeping.

"Don't you ever worry sending Marlin home alone with her?" Muffy asked after Marlin was gone. Griffin chuckled.

"I don't know what kind of men you've known in the past, but the men of this valley are gentlemen. Besides, he's in love. He wouldn't let any harm come to her, especially not from himself." Griffin set down the last glass of the night and then poured himself and Muffy a drink. Muffy smiled, and they toasted before continuing their conversation.

Marlin walked up the pathway with Jill in his arms, feeling like he was the strongest man on Earth. His footsteps echoed through the valley as his shoes clicked against the lone cobblestone path. Soon they would turn into her farm... maybe too soon. Marlin decided to slow the pace a bit. Even though his heart was racing, he felt like he could carry her all the way to Mineral Town. Jill's head shifted lightly against Marlin's chest and she opened her eyes. Marlin looked down at her and smiled, and she smiled back at him, closing her eyes.

"Aren't you tired?" Jill whispered. Marlin shook his head and chuckled.

"No... not really. I never feel tired when I'm with you." Marlin said. Jill smiled.

"Your heart is beating so fast..." Jill whispered. Marlin slowed down, thinking. If he was going to ask her about it, now would be the best time.

"Were you serious about getting married?" Marlin asked. There was no reply. Marlin looked down to see that Jill had fallen asleep again. He sighed and turned up onto the pathway to her farm. Marlin walked to her house and tucked Jill into bed. Her clothes were almost dry from the summer night air, so he decided not to worry too much about her. Marlin made sure there was a pillow under her head and that her blankets covered all of her before leaving her to sleep off the alcohol.

As soon as Marlin was gone, a figure crawled out from under the bed. Skye wiped the sweat off of his brow and chuckled to himself.

"That was close..." Skye mumbled, "I never even found where she kept her money..." Skye had overheard her conversation in the bar. It made sense that she was rich. She lived alone and took care of the dairy needs and some of the crop needs of the valley and surrounding villages. He didn't think she would hide her money so well. "I'm sure if I run into her again, I can get that information. She has to have 1 mil easily... " Skye was excited at the prospect of that much money. He was sure he had looked everywhere, but he knew there must have been some place he hadn't looked. He had to come up with a different plan. "A couple of run ins and a few lies never hurt anybody. It's definitely worth the money..." Skye looked at Jill as she slept and smirked. "She'll like the attention. I can't imagine there are many good men that show interest around here.. not any as handsome as me." Skye left the house empty handed and decided to flesh out his plan.

By the time Skye was leaving the valley, his plan was complete.

"Her money is mine within the year."

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I hope you enjoyed chapter one! I'll see you soon for chapter two. ;)


	2. All Chickened Out

I don't own the characters or the franchise. I did write all of this, though. I'm enjoying the heck out of it, so I hope you do too! :D

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A festival day was normally like any other day, minus the social interaction with other people. Jill rose with the sun, gave a big yawn, and changed her clothes from last night before letting all of her animals out to feed. She played with her dog and petted her cat, watered her crops she had conveniently planted all over the valley, gathered the wild grasses and made sure to give a gift to the Harvest Goddess. Then she went fishing in Turtle Pond until everything was set up for the festival. As she went along with the normal part of her day, Jill fretted about the contests she would have to go through. She wondered whether her animals had fared the night well in a strange barn, or whether her cooking skills were up to par.

But, four hours later, Jill's worries were always replaced by absolute confidence of her abilities to raise animals. She knew what kind of love to give if she was going to win a contest. She had won every contest for two years straight, she wasn't about to lose one now. There were many people that didn't know about Jill's competitive side. Only Lumina really knew, though she suspected Marlin was pretty aware of it, too. For some reason, even though she knew she was a lightweight, she would never back down from a drinking competition. In fact, once challenged, somebody could get her to compete in just about anything that didn't compromise her sense of morality. She would never enter a contest to see who could sleep with someone first... but she did have certain days where she was willing to compromise just about anything for the title of Winner.

Jill turned towards the beach and watched her watch land on 10:00. She smiled and walked confidently to the beach. She knew that seven hours from this very moment, she would be taking Greta home with a ribbon and a celebratory smile on her face. She had no clue why it took so long to judge chickens, but after four hours of not seeing anybody, she was kind of glad that it took so long.

When she walked onto the beach, the festival was in chaos. Thomas seemed to shrivel at Jill's appearance. She knew something had gone wrong. Jill started to make a beeline for the mayor with a stern look on her face before Popuri popped in front of her.

'Damn...' Jill thought, 'Popuri's too cheery for me to be mad at.'

"Hi Jill," Popuri said, "I know it's 10:00, but we're not quite ready. See, we've seemed to misplace a couple of the items we need to judge. Don't worry, everything should be fine, but we're postponing the festival for a little while. " Jill nodded and gave a small smile.

"Okay. Is Greta okay?" Jill asked, anxious about her prize hen. Popuri gave a quick smile and turned Jill around.

"Come back at Noon and everything should be sorted out!" Popuri exclaimed, pushing Jill back towards turtle pond. Jill looked back suspiciously, but Popuri was already walking back to the mayor. With a sigh and a look around, Jill found that for the first time since she'd moved to Forget me Not Valley, she had no idea what to do.

Living in the valley was so much different than city life. In the city there was always noise. Brightly lit distraction from inner turmoil stood firmly on every street corner. It didn't matter if you were in a dead end job, or if you had no friends. There was always the warm buzz of conversation coming from inside a building lit up by neon light. Even if you didn't talk to anyone all day you could always sit inside, listen, and be part of something much cheerier than you felt. In the valley, life was much more fulfilling. When she had first got here, she spent all day in bed. She let the remains of her mother's crops waste away and she sold all of the animals. She refused to do anything but sleep for weeks.

Jill snapped back into reality and took a deep breath. Seeing Marlin walk down the pathway, Jill gave a smile and jogged up to him.

"Coming for the festival?" Jill asked? Marlin gave a small smile, hands in his pockets.

"How'd you guess?" Marlin asked, knowing she'd come back with some silly reply.

"Well, after how wonderfully I described my amazing Greta to you, I know you had to come see for yourself." Jill gave a grin and Marlin chuckled. "Unfortunately, it's going to have to wait until noon. Apparently they're having technical difficulties."

"Ohhhhh," Marlin said, "I see. But, that leaves enough time for you to answer my question."

"Question?" Jill repeated inquisitively, "Go ahead." Marlin smiled deviously.

"What's so difficult about a setting up a chicken festival that they have to prolong it two whole hours?" Marlin asked.

It was more than just a question... it was a loaded question. It was a riddle that they would now attempt to talk through. They had been playing this game for awhile now. She had introduced it to him one night at the bar a couple months ago. It came up in conversation quite a bit, like a form of adult imagination. Jill and Marlin walked to the edge of the pond together and sat down, thinking of the possibilities.

"Maybe the mayor slept in." Jill said, shrugging her shoulders.

"No, that's too simple," Marlin replied quickly, "There's gotta be something more."

"Hmm..." Jill smiled sneakily, catching on to the game, "Each festival is like a well oiled machine. Maybe the machine broke and they had to call in Kasey or Patrick to fix it?"

"That could be it," Marlin ventured, "Or maybe the chickens were actually masterminds and had carried out a plot to escape so they could start a new colony somewhere in the forest."

"Mega Chickens?" Jill thought aloud, "Sounds like a pretty good plot. If it were a TV show, I'd watch it."

"You wouldn't have time." Marlin scoffed, "You work yourself to death."

"Oh, don't be like that," Jill said, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder, "maybe more festivals will go awry. Then I'd have two whole hours to catch up on it every festival day." Marlin looked down solemnly at the hand on his shoulder. He inwardly sighed.

"That wasn't what I meant," Marlin mumbled.

"I know." Jill smiled in reply. She let her hand slip down his arm and to the ground. "I know you're worried about how much farm work I do by myself. It's really sweet of you to worry, but I never take on more than I can handle by myself." Marlin sighed and then looked over at her. Crossing his arms he looked at his reflection in the pond. Every time he saw his reflection, he felt like an older man appeared.

"I'm confident that you can take care of yourself," Marlin said, "But have you ever even wanted someone else to help? You know, someone to take care of you when you were sick, or someone to help with the chores when you wanted to sleep in for just a little while longer."

Jill looked into the pond at Marlin's reflection. She saw concern... and maybe something more. She wouldn't address it now. It wasn't the time.

"Yeah." Jill admitted. Marlin looked over at her as she looked at her own reflection. "I do want someone like that. I want someone who could cook me buckwheat noodles when I get sick. I want somebody who could love my animals and my crops as much as I do. I do want someone who could love me and care for me. But..." Jill paused and looked Marlin straight in the eye.

"I know I can live without him." Jill held Marlin's gaze. She was hardly ever serious, so Marlin listened closely. "I have nothing to prove. I know I'm a good farmer and a loving person. Even so, I've gotten sick and I've gotten better. I've wanted to sleep in but knew my animals would be hungry. I've had animals be born on my land, and animals die. I've had good harvests and bad harvests, laughter and pain. I've lived so long without sharing my life that I know I can survive on my own. I guess, even though I do want somebody like that eventually, I don't need him right now."

Marlin and Jill were silent for a long time, each wondering about the future. Was she sure her future would have Marlin in it? Was he sure he had the courage and the strength to be that man when the time came? Marlin stood up after awhile and stretched his arms above his head.

"So, Jill," Marlin said, "What do you need now?" Jill stood up in turn and gave Marlin a surprise hug. Marlin was shocked for a moment, but he put his arms around her. She was warm... Jill pulled away and gave Marlin a grin.

"I need friends like you." Jill replied with a grin. Marlin chuckled and ran his hand through his hair bashfully. It might take awhile, but one day... One day he could see himself being the only man she needed.

While they laughed with each other, Popuri and the Mayor came up to them.

"We have some bad news..." The Mayor said, trailing off. Jill and Marlin turned to face the two.

"We seem to have-" The mayor was cut off by an elbow to the ribs by Popuri, still wearing a forced smile. "I mean, I seem to have not watched the chickens carefully enough. All of the cages were open when I got back to the beach. We've managed to recover three..." Jill's eyes widened.

"But we can't seem to find Greta." The mayor quickly continued, Jill not hearing the excuses that came afterwards. Something broke. Was it her hearing? No, she could hear the mayor's voice, she just couldn't hear what he was saying. No, all she could think of was Greta. Her prized chicken was running around somewhere on the island, or stolen by someone who wanted the best eggs in the country. Or maybe even a premium cut of meat. Jill came to her senses, but all she could see was red.

In a rage, Jill grabbed the mayor by the collar of his shirt. Baring her teeth, the mayor tried to stutter a reply. Jill couldn't hear a thing he was saying. Popuri watched, worried as the scene unfolded. Marlin took a deep breath and placed his hand on Jill's shoulder. Through the rage she had been feeling, Jill felt the large hand on her shoulder and lessened her grip on the Mayor. Her anger was replaced by a frown, as the effects of the adrenaline wore off. Finally, after ten seconds, Jill let the mayor go.

"Find my hen, Thomas." Jill said. Marlin's hand still rested on her shoulder and the mayor attempted to be offended over his fear by roughly straightening his shirt and jacket.

"Don't you worry, Jill," The mayor said, turning towards Popuri, "We've never had an animal missing for over a day. She'll be back."

Jill watched the mayor and Popuri discussing something as they left, and she felt herself be calm. She rarely ever lost her cool, but... Marlin and Jill looked at each other. Marlin had never seen this side of her. The farmer didn't really get angry... at least not in public.

"I'm sorry I lost my cool." Jill said. Marlin took his hand off of her shoulder and offered a small smile.

"It's okay. You're only human." Marlin said in reply, "If you were anything more or less, I'm sure you wouldn't have wanted to be my friend." Jill forced a smile and nodded.

"Yeah.. yeah. Okay." Jill muttered, "I'm going to look around for my chicken. You should probably go home. You're looking a little pale."

"Really?" Marlin asked. Truthfully, he had woken up feeling terrible. He would have stayed home and rested, but he knew how much the festival had meant to her. As much as he wanted to help her look for her chicken there was no way he would be able to walk around for an entire day, especially in the sweltering heat. He decided to take the out while it was offered. "Yeah, I guess I'm not feeling so great today. I'm sure she'll come back to you soon." Marlin assured. Jill nodded, and they went their separate ways. Jill going to poke around the area and Marlin back to his house.

Meanwhile, Popuri and the Mayor argued quietly beside the bar.

"Why didn't you tell her about the note?" Popuri questioned, giving the mayor a poke. He wiped his coat and huffed in reply.

"There's no need to associate with that thief! I double locked those cages at midnight last night." The mayor replied hastily.

"Nevermind what you did to stop him," Popuri accused, "you know that he's notorious for stealing things that have been sealed away! When he says he's going to steal something, he does!"

"I know that!" The mayor argued, "But there's no way he could have gotten into all of those cages. They all had two different types of locks!"

"No more excuses!" Popuri spat, "I have never lost a chicken in all of my years of hosting the festival! If you don't play by his rules and get the chicken back, I'll have you pay 10,000 G to her as a reprimand."

"10,000 G!?" the mayor guffawed, "That's a little much for a chicken!"

"You know that chicken would have won the festival!" Popuri said angrily, "Not only that, but if this chicken goes missing, nobody will trust us enough to participate in the chicken festival ever again! Do you know how much money our farm would lose? You would also be paying for the sentimental value of the chicken. That chicken is one of her favorite animals. Why else would she have put it in the contest?"

"I suppose you're right," the mayor sighed, "but it is odd that he left a way to get the item in question back this time. He usually just says he's stealing something and takes it. This time he's willing to give it back. I guess he wasn't after the chicken. But, what could he be after?"

"Money, of course," Popuri scoffed, "Isn't that what thieves are always after?"

"Yes..." the mayor said thoughtfully. Putting the thought in the back of his head, he pulled the ransom note out of his pocket.

_'Dear Thomas,_

_I'm going to steal the prize-winning chicken before the festival tomorrow. You may be wondering why I would steal a chicken. I like eggs as much as the next man, but it doesn't seem as high profile as my other thefts. Don't worry. You may see in due time how this theft will work out in my favor. Or, if you would rather not wait for 'due time' to arrive, I have a proposition for you. Send her to Goddess Pond at 1 AM. If anyone else is there, the deal is off._

_Oh yes, it's fine if you show her this note. Even a thief deserves credit, after all._

_Until next time,_

_Phantom Thief Skye'_

The mayor slipped the note back in his pocket. He wouldn't just give in. The thief had to have hidden the chicken somewhere. He would try to find the blasted chicken. He would use the entire day if that was what it took. But he wouldn't send Jill up to the pond so late, especially to communicate with that thief. Who knew what else he would try to steal off of her. But somehow he knew that he wouldn't find it, and that the farmer did deserve to have her chicken back.

Jill slipped inside of her house at midnight, clothes ruffled and hands dirty. She had done all of her chores in the morning, and had cleaned up for the chicken festival. Now she looked like she had done a month's worth of chores in one day. Jill had searched every nook and cranny of the valley, attempting to see a glimpse of Greta. She checked her coops twice in the hopes that somebody had returned them. Defeated, Jill dropped to her knees in the dark, struggling not to cry. She didn't know where her hen had gone. Had somebody taken her out of the valley? Was she cold and frightened in an unfamiliar place? She curled her hands into fists and slammed one of them on the floor. Her tears were about to overflow when she heard a knock at the door.

Jill stood up and wiped her eyes. She turned on her lights and opened the door, wondering who would come to her house so late. The mayor was on the other side, looking guiltily at his hands.

"I almost didn't come, but..." the mayor started. Jill listened, trying to choke back sobs that were still trying to escape. "I need you to go up to Goddess pond. At 1:00, there should be somebody there who can help with the chicken problem."

"So late?" Jill asked, her voice wavering. The mayor nodded.

"I'm not a big fan, but if he can help find your chicken well-" the mayor cut himself off, "Just make the trip. I think you'll find your chicken sooner that way."

The mayor down the pathway out of the farmland, and Jill walked over to her mirror. She straightened herself up and brushed the dust off of her clothes. Her ponytail was messed up and the tightness was giving her a headache, so she took her elastic out and let it fall over her shoulders. Sighing, she looked at the clock and motivated herself to walk out of her door. She locked it behind her with the lights on, just in case.

Already tired from a long day of searching, Jill found it hard to walk the entire pathway to the pond so late at night. It was around 12:55 when she finally sat in front of the pond. The moon reflected clearly off of its surface, and the crickets chirped softly all around her.

"Ah... the song of night is so beautiful, isn't it?" A voice came from behind her. Startled, Jill jumped up quickly and turned around, face to face with the thief she had encountered at Lumina's house just last night.

"You!" Jill gasped, "What are you doing here?" Skye have a half smile and a light chuckle. His green eyes seemed to twinkle in the light of the moon. Even though she had been startled, Jill felt herself relaxing in his presence. She couldn't deny how beautiful he looked standing there.

"Didn't the mayor tell you?" Skye questioned, "I could have your chicken back in your coop in just five hours." Jill clenched her fists.

"You stole my chicken?" Jill asked accusingly. Skye only gave another smile. Jill felt her anger melt away. Even though she wanted to be angry, she felt oddly calmed. Was he some sort of magician?

"I never said I stole your chicken. But, I think you're missing the point," Skye continued, "The question was never 'Did I steal the chicken?', but 'Do you want your chicken back?'. You see, if I had stolen it, I know where it is. If I hadn't stolen it, I still know where it would be. This is a region of small towns; the black market around here isn't that big."

Jill was confused. She couldn't be angry at him. It wouldn't do her any good. If he had Greta, he was willing to return her. If he didn't have Greta, he was going to go out of his way to find her and return her before she woke up to do her chores. But...

"Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?" Jill asked. Skye walked up to her and placed his palm on her cheek. His hand was warm. Jill blushed and tried to pull away, but Skye's other arm pulled her close.

"My price is a kiss," Skye whispered. Jill's eyes widened, and she blushed furiously. Even though she had lived in the city before, she still wasn't so used to guys coming on so strong.

"A k-kiss?" Jill stuttered. She could feel his heartbeat under her hand. It seemed to speed up just for her. Skye let her go with a smile.

"Just a kiss." Skye said, "But... not right now. If I deliver the chicken before you wake up for chores in the morning, you owe me one kiss. It could be the next time I see you, or years from now. Day or night, if I come up to you and say you need to kiss me, I want you to do it. Do we have a deal?"

Jill, still trying to recover from the closeness of the beautiful stranger weighed her options. She wanted to see Greta again. But... a kiss? What could he possibly want that for? She wasn't just some silly girl. She was smart. She knew what could happen. All sorts of scenarios where just a kiss could let him get away with one more theft played through her head. But... Greta... Greta had been the first chicken she had purchased. They had known each other for such a long time. Was a chicken worth a theft? What was he planning to steal?

"It's a deal." Jill whispered, a sense of dread filling her stomach. A kiss... was a great price for a guarantee her chicken would be safe and sound. But something still nagged at the corner of her brain. What did a kiss from her mean? Why did it have to be her? Maybe this was about something bigger than just another petty theft.

"Good," Skye smiled. He patted her head and continued, "I know it seems counter-intuitive, but trust me. Go to sleep, and check your coop in the morning. She'll be there, and I'll be waiting for our next meeting." Jill nodded suspiciously, and started walking back down the path. The summer air still retained some of the warmth of the day, and Jill found herself getting more and more tired the further she ventured from the pond. Suddenly she stopped. When she looked back, Skye was still standing in front of the pond. With his back to her, he stared up at the sky, silver hair and pale skin glowing in the moonlight. Jill felt her heart skip a beat.

_'Just a kiss...'_ Jill thought to herself, _'What an odd price to pay.'_

Jill continued to walk down the path. Comforted by the thief's words, she trudged inside of her house at 2 AM, locking the door behind her. She shut off the lights and was asleep just moments before her head hit the pillow.

The light shone brightly on Jill's face as the sun rose. Her alarm rang loudly and Jill groaned groggily, making several attempts to turn off the confounded contraption without looking. Finally she found the button and switched it off, propping herself up on her elbows. After several moments, Jill remembered the events of last night.

Still dressed in her clothes from yesterday, Jill burst through her door and ran out to Greta's coop. She threw open the door, startling the chickens. Jill looked around and spotted Greta in the corner. Squealing with joy, Jill ran over and scooped the chicken gently in her arms. The creature clucked gently, and Jill noticed a note on a string around her neck. Maneuvering the note off of Greta's neck, she put the happy chicken on the coop floor.

_'My Beautiful Lady,_

_They say a kiss is a window in which one soul can explore the other. I'm looking forward to know what's inside your soul._

_Until we meet again,_

_Skye'_

Jill blushed profusely and put the note in her pocket. What had she gotten herself into?

-  
And that's the end of chapter 2! Ah! I'm so excited for the rest of this fanfic that I can't stop dancing. ^_^ Chapter 3 will be up by next week.


	3. The Next Best Thing

Chapter 3!

Marlin sat at the bar watching himself in the reflection of his drink.

"You're awfully thoughtful today," Griffin said, taking a seat across from Marlin, "What's bugging you?" Muffy giggled and took a spot next to Griffin.

"The same thing he's thought about for the past year when he comes here," Muffy said, answering Griffin's question. Marlin looked up and sighed, head bowing back down. He took a swig of his drink and chuckled.

"Well, I can't really say you're wrong." Marlin sighed.

Jill had been on edge lately. Marlin was able to tell from the way she looked around. Her eye contact lasted for seconds before her eyes would dash over his shoulder or her head would turn and scope the area. Maybe it had something to do with losing her chicken. Everyone was relieved to hear that the chicken had been returned, but Jill looked as if she were ready to run at any moment.

"Are you okay?" Marlin had asked, just earlier that day. Jill's eyes met his, surprised.

"Yeah yeah," Jill replied too quickly, "Why does it look like something's wrong?"

Marlin was unconvinced, but like a good friend, he didn't pry any further. Still, the thought that she was still so nervous about the whole thing made him a bit sad. Didn't she feel safe in the valley anymore? Marlin was sure that her nervousness would die down after a few days, but the nervousness really hadn't been the issue. The real issue had been the reply. It was so quick, and so obviously wrong. Whatever was bothering her, her first instinct had been to hide it from him. It really wasn't the first reaction you wanted the woman you liked to have around you.

"Why don't you just tell her how you feel already?" Muffy asked, "It's not like it would hurt her to know. Maybe if she knew your intentions, she would pay more attention to what she does around you." Marlin took another drink and turned his head to look Muffy in the eye.

"It's not that simple," Marlin insisted, "When it comes to love, timing is everything. Say that you just had a terrible day. Your muscles were sore, your make-up didn't look right, and nothing you tried to wear looked good. If one of your best friends suddenly came up to you that day and said, 'Hey, I love you.', would you think positively about it? No, you would be focused on all of the bad things that had happened that day, and you would only see the cons of potentially losing your best friend in exchange for something that might not even work." Muffy scratched her head.

"I suppose you're right.." Muffy sighed, "But there's no way she has a bad day every day." Griffin chuckled lightly and refilled Marlin's drink.

"I've never really been in love," Griffin said, "But if I had the chance, I'd like to think that I'd take a hold of it as soon as I could." Marlin looked over at Griffin and wondered what it was like to spend a life without somebody by their side. Griffin seemed calm, and he was the coolest man Marlin had ever had the pleasure of knowing. But... if what he had said was true, he still thought about falling in love. Was Marlin willing to lose his chance and spend his whole life tending his Sister's farm? He saw himself get older every day...

"I haven't told her about how I feel... but I feel like she only needs me as a friend right now." Marlin admitted. Muffy giggled.

"What do you think a husband is supposed to be?" Muffy asked, "It's like having a literal Best Friend Forever. If she likes being your friend so much, you should just take the next step and pledge to be friends for life." Marlin sighed and Muffy shrugged.

"There are things that go into being a husband that don't necessarily happen in friendships," Marlin said with a sigh, "Otherwise she might have husbands and wives all over the village." Griffin chuckled and cleaned the glass in his hand. He learned a lot about love from these two.

"I get it." Muffy said, finally giving up the argument. She walked down the bar, picking up the mugs that had been gratefully emptied earlier that evening. Marlin took a large swig of his drink and gave a soft burp.

Just outside, Jill had stopped by the window to watch Marlin. She watched fondly as he argued with Muffy. Griffin saw her, but she put her finger to her lips, and Griffin gave a small nod in reply. His long legs had tangled themselves into the bar stool to avoid falling over for when his conversations got a little too animated. Trademark purple pants covered his lean muscle, a loose white dress shirt covering his torso. He never tucked it in for fear of looking like an elderly man. Jill smiled as she watched him, Muffy giving up on the argument they were having. He took a celebratory chug and Jill giggled to herself. He was just like an old man. He was set in his ways and often came off as grumpy. But he was only shy, and defensive. If he was an old man, he was her old man.

But just for a moment, she remembered how hard her heart pounded when she was in Skye's arms. Jill shook her head, successfully slowly her heart down as she made her way into the bar. Jill put on a smile and sat next to Marlin. He looked over and gave a nod. Jill gasped.

"What, not even a hello?" Jill said, faking offence, "I guess I should just go back to my farm then." Marlin's eyes widened like a child's and he shook his head.

"N-no! I'm sorry." Marlin said quickly, "How's it goin'?" Jill giggled at the reaction and Griffin brought her over some Bodiaid.

"I don't think you know about this," Jill said, "But you're pretty cute when you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk," Marlin protested, "I've just had a lil' more than usual." Marlin looked down at his mug and wondered how many times Griffin had refilled it. Muffy happily skipped back over to their side of the bar. She was always happy to have female company.

"So, Jill," Muffy said, "We were all talking earlier about what a husband is. Care to provide some info?" Jill laughed.

"Deep conversation already? How long was he in here?" Jill asked, jokingly nodding her head in Marlin's direction. He was notorious for deep thinking when he 'had a lil' more than usual'. Jill thought for a moment and took a drink before giving an answer.

"A husband..." Jill started, "Is a lover. He's the lover that captivates your heart, your passions, and your mind for a lifetime. He's a supporter of your dreams, and the voice of reason when you dream a little too big. He's your best friend and the person you want to wake up next to every day, no matter how much you fought the night before. He's your entertainer, your personal old man even if he's only 20, and your partner in crime-" Jill cut herself off. She cleared her throat with a blush and continued, "because at the end of the day, whether he's a farmer or a thief, all you really care about is him." What was happening to her?

Everyone in the bar was silent for a moment as they let the words sink in. Muffy sighed dreamily.

"Wow Jill," Muffy smiled, "That sounds so wonderful. I hope you can find somebody who'll do all of that for you." Jill smiled shyly.

"I hope so, too," Jill said, "But, that's not it. A wife is the same thing to the husband. She provides all that the husband provides for her. Because love between them only occurs when both sides give, and both sides love. When it happens, they change from husband and wife to a family. I'm not saying that intense love results in kids. I'm saying that even two people, when they love strongly enough, will always be family." Muffy sighed another dreamy sigh.

"I hope I can be that for someone one day," Muffy said, "I haven't had a good track record, but you've certainly given me something to aim for." Marlin had been thinking during Jill's explanation. Though he desperately hoped he could be that for her one day, he felt as if he would fall short of her expectations before he had even tried. It was intimidating to live up to a standard like that.

"It sounds... pretty difficult," Marlin admitted out loud. Jill rested a hand on Marlin's shoulder. Marlin looked over to her, and she held his eye contact for the first time in days.

"All marriages are difficult, and keeping a family together is, too. But somehow, when you look back on the memories of your own family, you know that it's much easier than it sounds." Jill smiled reassuringly. Marlin smiled back. He felt like he could kiss her... but he knew that he was drunk. Marlin nodded and turned back to the bar, his heart pounding in his chest. It seemed like he grew closer to her every single day. He really liked her, but the like just kept growing. It invaded his mind and made his heart go crazy.

"So," Marlin said, turning back to her, "How do you know it's time to take the step from love to marriage?" Jill had since turned to her drink. It was almost empty, but Griffin made no move to refill it. Marlin probably figured it was because he might need help home from her this time. Jill was caught off guard by the question.

"Gosh... How did I become the love expert in town?" Jill laughed nervously. She finished her drink and drummed her fingers on the counter. She didn't ask for another drink, she probably wanted to be ready to help him home as soon as he was ready to go. She seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to him. "Okay. I think this one is really simple. Imagine one day you wake up, and you reach out to feel their warmth even though they've never slept in the same bed as you. You open your eyes, and the cold emptiness of the bed leaves you in disbelief. In reality, you were sleeping with them all night. Your heart was with them, wherever they were, and when you opened your eyes you realize that half your heart is still with the other person. You stumble around all day, all week until you see the person again and you realize that you can't have the rest of your heart back unless they're with you. That moment you realize that you can't even remember who you are unless they're with you, is when you should get married."

"Well well," Griffin chucked, "Maybe I have been in love before." Muffy giggled and ran to the other side of the counter. She took Jill's arm and jumped up and down excitedly.

"Can you just write everything you've said tonight down and give it to me? I want to read over it forever and ever!" Muffy laughed. Jill looked at her empty drink and gave a laugh herself. Marlin stoically thought about what she'd said. There wasn't anything wrong with what she said. It was like a neatly wrapped pre-epiphany, waiting to be opened the moment he woke up and realized that it had happened to him. He didn't know if he could love that deeply. Could he even wait to love that deeply? That might take seasons or years... how much more puppy lovesickness could he take before the real thing dropped on him like a bomb?

"I'm sure it'll be in your diary soon enough anyway." Jill replied, standing up. Muffy dropped her arm and gave Jill a big hug.

"Going home already?" Muffy asked, "You could stay for just one more. I love hearing about love." Jill shook her head and smiled.

"No, I've gotta get him home and then go to bed. It's another early day tomorrow."

Jill tapped Marlin on the shoulder. He was still deep in thought. He untangled his legs from the bar stool and stood up. Jill put one of his arms over her shoulder just in case. Marlin didn't mind. It felt kind of nice, actually. But, he couldn't stop thinking. The explanations made sense... but he was sure that many marriages occurred way before something like that happened. Was what she said just an ideal? Or was it actually possible? How long would he wait to find out?

Jill had walked Marlin up the path silently. It was usually like this when she walked him home. He was so deep inside his mind that she couldn't tell what he was feeling. Marlin was like a thousand piece puzzle with every piece guarded by some sort of riddle. He was fun to figure out. But slowly, she felt him grow closer to her. She felt herself growing closer to him with every piece she unlocked and added. She knew it would take a long time to solve, maybe even a lifetime. Even though she wasn't sure if she could really love him like she'd just described, she was okay spending a lifetime being the next best thing.

"So, what are you thinking about?" Jill questioned. Marlin walked slowly with his arm over Jill's shoulder.

"I was thinking, 'This is nice. Just walking with Jill.'" Marlin admitted. Jill blushed and looked down to her feet. "What were you thinking about?" Marlin asked. They were closing in on his sister's house all too quickly. He didn't know if Jill realized it, but Marlin had slowed down his walking quite a bit to spend more time with her.

"Well, now I'm thinking, 'He's so cute when he's drunk. I'm glad he likes walking with me.'" Jill smiled up at Marlin, noticing that they had slowed considerably. They finally reached the door to Vesta's house. Jill removed Marlin's arm from her shoulder and Marlin looked down at her. She looked like an angel in the moonlight.

"I could kiss you." Marlin stated. Jill's face turned pink. Recovering quickly, she looked back up at Marlin.

"Why don't you?" Jill asked. She was curious. She knew that he liked her. But, he was also painfully shy. She wondered what his answer would be. Would he do it?

"I could kiss you... but if I do," Marlin said, "I still don't know what we'd be in the morning." Jill and Marlin were silent for a moment.

"But why wouldn't you want to find out?" Jill asked, "Even if we were still just friends by the time the sun came up, why wouldn't you try to make the jump? If you're so sure you could love me one day, wouldn't you want to know?" Marlin's eyes widened.

"I-" Marlin started. But, instead of struggling to find the right words to say or make another excuse, he chuckled. Jill was surprised. If he was going to say anything, she didn't think he would laugh. She thought he would argue or wimp out. "Well, there are two of you in front of me right now," Marlin admitted, "I think I might miss both." Jill and Marlin were both silent for a few seconds before they both burst out laughing. Vesta quickly came to the door and opened it. She was about to chew Marlin out for waking her up, but as Marlin and Jill laughed together, she realized that Marlin hadn't laughed like that since he was a child. Vesta's anger gone, she gave a big sigh.

"Welcome home, Marlin." Vesta said, "Now come inside and get some sleep." Marlin nodded to Vesta and smiled back at Jill.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Marlin grinned. Jill nodded, and Marlin disappeared behind the door. Jill laughed to herself as she walked back to her farmhouse. It was silly... and unexpected. So Marlin did have a spontaneous side to him. With another puzzle piece unlocked, Jill walked down the path to her house. As she turned the doorknob, she realized that the door had already been cracked open.

"That's odd," Jill said, "Takura usually locks the door when he leaves." Jill turned on the light and opened her door. Her cat and dog were still inside, sleeping soundly. They would have been riled up if there had been an unfamiliar person inside. Relaxing, Jill closed the door behind her and locked it. Almost immediately after she had, she heard a knock at the door. Jill scratched her head and opened it. There was a mail carrier outside. Surprised, Jill looked over at the clock. It was almost midnight.

"It's a little late to be delivering mail, isn't it?" Jill asked. The man bowed.

"I'm sorry, Miss. It's a special express delivery." The man grabbed a clipboard and gave Jill a pen to sign with. After she was finished, the man grabbed the clipboard and handed her a small package. "Thank you, Miss. Have a wonderful night."

The man walked off into the distance and Jill watched after him. It was only after he was gone that she realized she still had his pen. She knew he must have had plenty of backup pens with his job, so she didn't worry too much. Locking the door one more time, Jill stuck the pen in her pen cup and set to opening the package. Inside was a bar of rich German chocolate. There was no note, but it looked like something Lumina would send. One time, she had imported cold medicine from Sweden when she was sick. It came to her doorstep that time as well, but during normal hours. Jill put the chocolate bar on the counter and started to undress.

Skye sat in his secret lair, watching the farmer through his computer screen. He couldn't believe she'd actually gone for it. Even express deliveries didn't come at midnight. They did this time. She had taken the pen and put it straight into the pen jar he had seen when he searched her house the first time. It gave him a view of most of the house. Skye was about to close his computer when the farmer started to undress. First the apron came off, and then the pants. She pulled her shirt over her head to reveal a cute matching set of underwear with a teddy bear print.

"Cute, and sexy," Skye said with a wolfish grin. His eyes were glued to the screen as she unhooked the front of her bra. Then, there was a knock at the door. Skye slammed his laptop closed and went to the door before it was opened. He stuck his head out of the door. It was the boy who had posed as the mail carrier.

"Great job!" Skye laughed, "You were very convincing. You're going places, kid." The kid gave a half smile and scratched his head.

"I don't think anybody could be as notorious as you are in this area." The kid said sheepishly. Skye smiled.

"Thanks, kid." Skye said, "Oh, and don't mention this to the others?" The kid nodded. Skye gave him fifty bucks and he walked off. You could never trust a conman. Even if he did mention it to the others, their crowd knew better than to trust a newbie.

Skye sighed and closed his door, slowly opening up his laptop. The farmer was fully clothed in pajamas and crawling into bed. A little disappointed, but knowing the pen would be there morning, noon, and night, Skye closed his laptop. He hadn't gotten to see where she kept her cash. Surely she wouldn't keep in all in her rucksack. The physics of that would be mind boggling. He had missed one of the most crucial moments on screen. When girls went to sleep, they put their clothes in the dirty clothes bin. When they did that, they emptied their pockets. When there was money in their pockets, they put it where the rest of their money was. Sure, it was a little perverted, but it was the most surefire way of knowing where the valuables were stored. That is how he knew where Lumina and Romana kept their jewelry, after all. But, he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the undressing part. You could tell a lot about a woman by the color and make of her underwear.

Skye decided to take a walk in the village. In over three years, nobody knew that Skye was living within the Valley limits. He was in the forest right at the top of the mountain. He wasn't so far from the bus stop to the city, actually. It was about a two mile walk, but that alone was enough to provide easy access to the black market. Sometimes it got lonely in the woods, but he was glad he didn't live at base. It got busted way too often for him to make a real living. Not that he had ever needed to make a living.

Skye walked into the valley as all of the villagers slept soundly in their beds. He had chosen the moon over the sun, and he was cursed to stay that way for the rest of his life. But, maybe one day there would be hope. Maybe he would find someone who would help him turn around. Maybe he could find interest in someone instead of someone's things. It probably wasn't going to happen. He would need to find somebody who challenged him more than a theft did. He just got so excited knowing he could warn somebody that he was going to steal their things, and they still couldn't stop him. What could be more thrilling? He honestly didn't know. Maybe the thing that would be the most thrilling, was someone who could find him even while he stole everything around them. But that was just silly. Still, despite his antics he did consider himself quite the romantic.

Skye found himself looking up at the moon in front of the pond again. He didn't know why, but he was always drawn to this one place. It was as if it were the center of his being. It was somewhere he was at peace, even though he wasn't the most moral man alive. It didn't matter how much he stole or how many women he had seen undress, when he came to the pond and stared up at the moon, he could finally relax and be more than just a phantom. Just like he'd signed the farmer's letter that day, he was just... Skye. 

* * *

And that's the end of Chapter 3! Apparently when I say by next week, I mean after midnight. I'm glad the update came so soon, but I should really just stop giving update estimations and say, 'I refuse to put this on permanent hiatus so whether it's two minutes, two days, or two years, this story will be updated'. Ugh. Writer problems.


	4. Fake It Till You Make It

"Damn it all!" Skye shouted at his computer, slamming his fist on the desk. The other villagers weren't nearly as careful with their money as the farmer was. Two weeks was the amount of time Skye had gone over recordings of the farmer's house without having a clue where she kept her money. After two weeks of searching and researching with minimal sleep, Skye was at his breaking point. The only thing he had been successful at was bugging the house without the farmer realizing it. While a tough act to pull, it meant absolutely nothing if he still had no idea where she put her money. It seemed this theft would be more challenging than all of the others.

"Okay," Skye said, calming himself down, "So, it's not in any of the usual places. What are the options?"

Skye sat down in a chair and imagined sitting across from himself. His copy sat with his arms and legs crossed, contemplating the next move. He sat with one elbow on the table, his chin in the palm of his hand.

"I would be inclined to think she kept it all in her rucksack." Skye's copy said, "It certainly wouldn't be hard to transport normal amounts of money that way." Skye shook his head. "No, it's too simple. Besides, I've calculated her revenue. The amount of gold pieces she gets per week would add about fifty pounds a month." Skye's copy chuckled. "Well, the slower she moves, the easier she is to catch." Skye shook his head. "No... that's ridiculous. What if she has someone transfer the money everyday when we're not monitoring?" Skye's copy shook his head and leaned back in the chair so that it balanced on one leg. "It probably wouldn't happen. The only person she would trust to do that is Takura, and he's out of his house too much. Even if we bugged it, we would only be able to watch him for a few hours a day. The light from the windows isn't bright enough to record what he does when he's just stepping in and out." Skye's copy leaned forward, all four legs resting safely on the floor. "What if she hides it with her boy toy?" Skye sighed. "There's no way," he said, "he's got Vesta's farm to worry about. He wouldn't want to deal with the competition's money, let alone jeopardize his chances with her if she comes up short one day."

Skye stood up, his hands on the table. His copy disappeared and he looked towards the door. He would have to get the information from the farmer's own mouth, just like he had planned. But, how far was he willing to go? What he had planned before may not have been enough. He could have to visit the valley every night. Perhaps even...

"No, I wouldn't go THAT far..." Skye said. But, upon further thought, he hatched a plan. It was evil, it was despicable... "It's brilliant." Skye smiled. Maybe he would go that far. Skye got out his journal and wrote down everything that would take place in the next two seasons, modifying his previous plans. First, he would befriend the farmer. She would start staying up late just to see him. Eventually, he would take the next step. He would convince her that he didn't really want to steal. He wanted to... what was an innocent path to take... cook! Cooking was sensitive, wasn't it? Nobody who really wants to cook for a living could be all that mean. He would make his thefts more public. He would make sure that the farmer was there to witness every single one. Then, while she was confused about her own feelings and concerned about him, he would make the final move. He would use the next theft to get rid of her feelings for Marlin, and then finally test her feelings for him by seeing if she'd let him escape. He would get away in the end, but if she let him go... "It'll be like taking candy from a baby."

But how far would he take it? Would she propose? Would he get married? He would figure out these things later. For now, he just had to make a plan for the first theft... The bar was a good first target. She went there often. So, Skye spent most of the night fleshing out the details in what was to become the largest heist of his entire life. As the sun began to rise over Skye's fortress of isolation, he put down his pen and stretched. Tomorrow night would be the start of something wonderful. Well, for him at least.

ooooo

Jill stretched her arms above her head. She had just finished watering the new set of tomatoes. Usually she didn't plant regrowing crops so late in the season, but she had gotten up to find that a giant tomato had grown overnight. After the sprites and the mayor had helped her harvest it, she was forced to plant a new set of tomatoes to keep her revenue up from last summer. She never found herself short of money. She had been farming for so long, it seemed impossible to run out. But, without the daily tasks of watering and taking care of as many crops and animals she could possibly handle, she found herself bored and unwilling to move forward at all. Underneath the down to earth farmer she had become over the years, there was still a girl barely old enough to go out on her own mourning for her mother and father. Sometimes you didn't have time to fix yourself. You just have to cover up the problems and get on with life. But lately, as Jill faced getting married and having to share her life with somebody else, she was afraid that the girl would resurface and explode, damaging every friend that she had surrounded herself with. Jill pushed away the nagging thoughts and put her watering can in her rucksack. She looked at her watch and wiped her forehead before walking towards her house with a smile. She wasn't that girl anymore. She was 24 now, and ready to change her life for the better.

It took about half an hour to walk over to Romana's Mansion. Jill had heard Lumina's song floating out of the mansion long before she had reached the top of the hill. Jill soon found herself face to face with the fountain, her mind going back to the night she had literally bumped into Skye. For some reason, she felt as if she were floating when she remembered his smile. She had been mad about it in the moment, but now as she remembered... Jill shook her head.

"No no," Jill said to herself, "Being pretty isn't a reason to forgive being pushed into a fountain." But, the more her brain tried convincing herself not to like him, the more her heart tried defending him. Jill shook her head. "Come on... he stole Greta!" Jill said to herself. But, she didn't really have proof of that. "You know he just wants to use you. You did make a deal, you know." Jill said. But... she didn't have proof of that either. She made a deal to kiss him. Whether he used her to escape in a pinch or sincerely just wanted to kiss her one day was yet to be determined. "You're crazy." Jill said, laughing at herself, "You're really crazy!" Jill forced herself to walk past the fountain and to the mansion doors. She put her hand on the handle, biting her lip. What was she going to tell Lumina?

Before she could rehearse anything, the door opened from the other side. Lumina stood on the other side with a bright smile on her face.

"Ah! Jill!" Lumina exclaimed, "Come upstairs! I've got some exciting news!" Lumina grabbed Jill by the hand and ran her up the stairs. Jill blinked, not sure what was going on. Lumina usually only got excited when... well... she really didn't get excited. Lumina had a lot of money at her disposal, so more often than not she was very bored. Jill struggled not to trip over the stairs as they flew past her feet.

Jill was out of breath by the time Lumina had shut the door to her room. Jill collapsed on the bed and let out an exasperated sigh. Lumina was nearly jumping up and down out of excitement. Jill took a few seconds to stare up at the ceiling before sitting up. Lumina was staring at her expectantly. Jill looked around. What was she supposed to notice? Last time it had taken her nearly ten minutes to guess that Lumina had new curtains. Jill bit her lip.

"So... any chance you'll just tell me this time?" Jill asked. Lumina giggled and ran over to Jill. She put her hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye.

"Not a chance." Lumina said seriously, "But, I'll give you a hint! It's something about me." Jill nodded and closed her eyes. She stepped back and then gave Lumina the look over. Her hair was the same as always, and she had seen that outfit just last week. She hadn't gotten shorter or taller, and she hadn't gotten color contacts. Her shoes weren't new, and neither were her socks (unless they were the same as all of the others she had bought over the years). She looked at her ears. They didn't have earrings. Jill was puzzled. Finally, she looked at Lumina's hand.

"Oh!" Jill smiled, "You got a new ring!" Lumina giggled.

"Not just any ring, silly!" Lumina said, "It's an ENGAGEMENT ring!" Jill gasped. She blushed and Lumina held the ring to her face. It was a beautiful diamond ring. Jill smiled, but was confused. Usually they gave rings for engagement in the city, but in the valley didn't they use a blue feather?

"Wow," Jill said, "Where did he- I mean, he doesn't have a job so-"

"How did you know it was Rock!?" Lumina gasped. It was Jill's turn to laugh. Lumina seldom enjoyed talking about anything more than herself. Over the years, her conversation slowly became more focused on Rock. Jill knew that something like this would happen when Lumina thought more about Rock and what he was doing than she talked about her own life. Jill was relieved that Lumina would get her happy ending, but she couldn't help but think that they were rushing into things. She could understand that there really wasn't any other option to take when you found somebody to love in such a small town, but wouldn't you want more time to be purposeful in getting to know each other? Jill put a smile on her face as Lumina gushed her excitement in the background.

"Well, he's been interested in you for like... forever." Jill finally stated, "So, did you guys just date secretly for awhile or what?" Lumina raised an eyebrow.

"Date?" Lumina questioned, "Oh no. Romana wouldn't have allowed that. But we can date a lot now that we're engaged!" Jill laughed nervously. She had forgotten how old fashioned the village was. But, in a lot of ways, old fashioned was a lot more romantic than the city's usual courting routine. She gave up, knowing that Lumina and Rock were ultimately meant to be. Lumina would enjoy his looks, and Rock would enjoy her money. They would be happy for a long time.

"So he kinda just... sprang it on you then?" Jill questioned, "I mean, how did you know he was going to... pop the question?"

"I didn't," Lumina said, shrugging her shoulders, "But I guess I've always loved him. It didn't make sense to say no. I was really surprised by the ring though. He must have asked Romana what kind of ring I would like and then asked to borrow the money from her."

"What!?" Jill gasped, "That takes guts!" Lumina giggled. Jill hugged her friend and Lumina squeezed her back. "So, when's the wedding?" Jill asked over Lumina's shoulder. Lumina let go of Jill and smiled.

"It's the second of Winter." Lumina said, "Aunt Romana wants to make sure I know how to be a proper wife before I get married." Jill nodded. That made sense. They probably wouldn't want to argue over whose responsibility it was to clean or do the laundry or take care of the children... Jill wondered if they would both live in the mansion. What would Ruby do? Rock wasn't the type to take over the inn, but Jill knew that Ruby would want to go and travel with Tim before she was too old to travel.

"Great!" Jill exclaimed, "I'll mark it on my calendar." Jill sat down on Lumina's bed and marked the date. Lumina laid down on her bed and sighed happily. Jill smiled to herself. Who else would be getting married soon? Even though the professor was old and didn't like Flora's monotonous cooking, Jill thought that Flora and Carter would make a great couple. They were already together all of the time. Gustafa and Nami seemed to have a similar mindset to each other. In any case, they would be able to enjoy each other's strangeness. Even though Griffin probably wasn't thinking about getting married, Muffy needed to stop finding bad men and run to one of the best Jill had ever known. And Marlin-

"So," Lumina said before sitting up, "Are you thinking about getting married anytime soon?"

"What?" Jill questioned a little too quickly, "Married? Me? No..." Lumina giggled.

"Ohhh..." Lumina pushed, "So you just like somebody? Come on, spill!" Lumina put her hand on Jill's shoulder and she flinched. Lumina laughed loudly. "It can't be that strange, can it? Oh, I know! You're in love with Daryl." Jill put her arms up defensively.

"I'm not telling." Jill said quickly, "I'm confused." Lumina grabbed one of her several pillows and pushed it into Jill's arms.

"Hug this and tell me." Lumina said, "Hold it like it's the world and it'll float away if you let it go." Jill nodded and grabbed the pillow tightly. Lumina giggled. "Wow! You're muscles are almost as big as Rock's." Lumina joked. Jill stuck her tongue out at Lumina.

"It just means I can beat him up if he hurts you." Jill said. She let out the air she'd been holding and looked down at her knees. Lumina rubbed her back lightly, trying to coax it out of her. Because blackmail was what friends were for, of course. Jill tapped her foot nervously. There was no point in hiding something like this from Lumina. She would think it was romantic.

"Okay... I'm ready." Jill said. She loosened her grip on the pillow and then laid down on the bed. Lumina laid beside her, waiting patiently. "I..." Jill hesitated, and then gave up. "I really like Marlin." Lumina jumped up and squealed.

"I knew it!" Lumina said, celebrating, "For how long?"

"I think... I think it started the first time he carried me home." Jill said.

It had been just three years ago she had started coming to the bar. Just a year previous to her first encounter with the drinking community, Jill had moved back from the city to mourn for her mother. She had just started farm work again that year, but realized she needed something a little stronger than an extra hour of sleep if she was going to make it through another day of work. Everyone had been surprised to see her when she came in. She was tired from work, and a little on edge. Walking up to the counter, she sat at the very end.

"What can I get you?" Griffin said, walking over with a smile. He knew a shy girl when he saw one.

"What's the strongest you've got?" Jill asked. Griffin chuckled.

"That would be our Motor Oil. It ain't exactly the tastiest. I'd recommend ABC if you're looking for something drinkable." Griffin said. Jill nodded and put her payment on the table. Griffin pushed it back and smiled. "On the house." Griffin said. Jill slipped the money back in her pocket and looked down at the counter with a smile.

"Hi there!" Muffy said. Jill looked up quickly, flinching. "Oh!" Muffy said, "I didn't mean to scare you! It's just so nice to see another girl in here once in awhile." Jill gave a small smile.

"Is that so..." Jill said softly, "Maybe I'll come more often, then.." Muffy giggled.

"Oh, I know you can speak louder than that! You don't have to be afraid of offending anybody here." Muffy said. Jill laughed.

"I guess," Jill said, "I just don't know anyone here very well. I lived in the city for so long... people are really touchy about personality." Muffy nodded.

"Oh, tell me about it!" Muffy sighed, "That's one of the reasons I love it here. I mean, there aren't many dating options, but as far as friends go this is the best place you could have come!" Jill gave a smile. Griffin placed a drink in front of her and went back to clean a glass. He watched happily as Muffy spoke to her. They would probably become good friends. Jill took a swig, and her eyes widened.

"Huh?" Muffy asked, "What's wrong?" Jill shook her head.

"Nothing's wrong," Jill said, "It's delicious." Griffin smiled to himself when he heard it. Muffy laughed.

"Oh, Griffin's really good at guessing favorites on the first try." Muffy said, "But there are drinks for a variety of things. The bodiaid really helps you if you're tired out from work. It gives you a pep when you wake up in the morning." Jill looked at the menu and smiled.

"I guess I'll have a chance to try all of them eventually." Jill said, "Just maybe not all at once." Muffy laughed in reply and Jill took another drink. It had been so long since she had drank anything she was already feeling light. Jill smiled and finished off her drink. Griffin handed her a refill and Jill thanked him. She was about to take another drink when she heard footsteps behind her. Jill turned around and saw Marlin frowning at her. She hadn't really gotten a good look at her competition, but he seemed pretty disagreeable.

"New customer?" Marlin questioned. Griffin chuckled and Marlin sat down a couple seats away. "I'll take a Bodiaid." Jill didn't realize it, but she was still looking at him. His hair was deliberately styled. There wasn't a single hair out of place. His clothes were baggy and dirty from the day's work. He was tall and lanky, almost sickly looking. "What are you looking at?" Marlin asked suddenly. Jill's eyes widened and she turned back to her drink.

"Whoopsie." Jill said, "I just became an astronaut. Sorry about that." Muffy held back a laugh and Jill sipped her drink shyly. Griffin chuckled and Marlin gripped the bar so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Well, maybe you should try to stay a farmer and keep your eyes on your drink." Marlin muttered. Jill rolled her eyes and Muffy had to turn around to hold back the laughter. Jill looked over at him again, studying his tense jawline. "Didn't we just go over this?" Marlin said, staring angrily in Jill's direction. Jill smiled quickly.

"Yep. I decided to be a farmer." Jill nodded, "As a farmer, I'm obligated to study my competition." Marlin opened his mouth to say something, but he had nothing to say. Muffy finally turned around, laughing.

"Come on, Marlin," Muffy said, "Can't you try to be friendly for once?" Marlin took a swig of his drink and clenched his fist.

"Friendly?" Marlin asked, "She's the one who called me the competition!" Jill raised her eyebrow. It was obvious he didn't know how to make friends. She decided to try her hardest to make him her friend. If she could make him into her friend, she could make friends with anybody in the village.

"Yeah," Jill said ominously, "Haven't you heard the term, friendly competition? Or are you scared? You might be persuaded to join the dark side." Again, Marlin opened his mouth, but had no answer. "See!" Jill said, "Even you don't have a reason to not be my friend." Marlin sighed. He thought to himself for a moment. It had been a bad day. He had been tired halfway through the day and had to spend the rest of the day inside. He only came here to get some bodiaid. He looked like a weakling in front of Celia, which didn't help when he was trying to be strong. He just wanted to wallow in his self-pity and go home. But, she wouldn't let him. No, she was staring at him with with that stupid smile and he couldn't...

"Ugh," Marlin replied, "Fine. What's your name? I figure I should know if you're going to be my newest friend." Jill smiled and Marlin took a drink.

"It's Jillian. But, you can call me Jill." Jill said with a smile. She finished off her drink and smiled up at Muffy. "I made three friends today!" Muffy giggled.

"Three?" Muffy asked, "How did you make three?" Jill grinned.

"I got Muffy, and Marlin, and Griffin." Jill giggled, "Ms. Marvelous, Mr. Mopey, and Mr. Great!" Griffin chuckled, and Muffy ruffled the farmer's ponytail.

"I think you may need to go home soon." Muffy said with a knowing sigh. Marlin looked over and hid a laugh. The farmer was draped over the bar with a large smile on her face.

"Marlin," Griffin said, "Would you mind helping her home? Muffy and I have to close up this place." Marlin's eyes widened. He pointed to himself, and both Griffin and Muffy nodded. Jill propped herself up.

"What? Oh no I-" Jill hiccuped, "I can get home myself." Marlin sighed. There was no way she was getting home by herself.

"Well," Marlin sighed, raising his drink, "To the beginning of a troublesome friendship." Marlin finished his drink and walked over to the farmer. He was too tall for her to drape her arm over his shoulder, and he didn't know if he wouldn't choke him if he gave her a piggy back ride. Finally, he picked up the farmer in his arms wedding style and exited the bar.

Marlin had never done this before. Even though she was light, he could feel his muscles straining. As he walked to the entrance of her farm, he had to put her down. Marlin put his hands on his knees. He was surprised he had gotten this far. On a good day, this probably would have been a cakewalk. The farmer was fast asleep.

"I give up." Marlin said angrily, starting to walk towards his sister's farm. He got to the bridge when he looked back. Marlin almost hit himself for looking back. Now he had to get her home. Marlin muttered angrily to himself and took the farmer in his arms again. This time, as if by some miracle, she felt as light as air. Marlin looked down at her and blushed. Her head rested against his chest as if it were the most normal place in the world to be resting. Marlin quickly walked the farmer to her house and opened the door. He set her down on the bed and quickly walked out, closing the door behind him. He put his hand where her head had been just a moment earlier. His heart was beating so fast... it was probably because of all the work.

Jill opened her eyes when Marlin closed the door. She sat up and grinned, unlacing her shoes. Nobody could resist being friends with somebody who needed them.

"SO YOU FAKED IT!?" Lumina laughed, "You did! You did all that just to be his friend?" Jill nodded and grasped the pillow.

"Only the first time! The other times I really couldn't get home." Jill said defensively, "Besides, I didn't know he was having a bad day. But, when he came back for me... it was the first time I'd felt okay for a long time. I felt like, maybe I could live here for a long time."

"So, you've liked him since then?" Lumina asked, "That's a long time."

"Well," Jill said, "I haven't like liked him since then. I've liked his personality since then. He doesn't really give up, even if he doesn't want to go on. I really liked that, it was pretty... inspirational. I've been friends with him for three years now. Honestly, I think I could get married to him but... I don't know, I just feel like I should feel more with him if I really wanted to be married to him. I wouldn't mind it if we were best friends for the rest of our lives. That sounds really fun, but I'm just not passionate about him." Lumina sighed.

"Yeah," Lumina shrugged, "He's not really your type of hot. We went over that." Jill sighed.

"That's the thing..." Jill said, "There is someone who is my kind of hot. I also kind of like him and the way he smiles at me but.."

"But what?" Lumina asked excitedly.

"He's a thief.. well.." Jill sighed, "He's the phantom thief. A-and I don't really like him. I think it's just a crush. I think I'd feel grimy just being friends with someone who steals for a living but..."

"He's so cute..." Lumina said, finishing Jill's sentence. Jill sighed.

"I'm really liking the idea of getting married to Marlin but..." Jill frowned, "I don't think I love him the way I need to. I don't want to look back ten years from now and still have some regret. I'm afraid of waking up one morning and thinking 'what if'..."

"Wow..." Lumina sighed, "I wonder if they both like you... Ooh! Maybe Marlin will do something that will make you think of him that way!"

"Or maybe I fall in love with a thief and get every penny I own conned off of me.." Jill muttered bitterly.

"Well," Lumina ventured, "Rock's probably gonna spend a lot of my money. I don't mind. You know, maybe he's tired of stealing. Maybe he wants you to help him stop?" Jill laughed.

"Why me of all people!?" Jill questioned, "That makes no sense! Muffy's the prettiest, Flora's the most interesting, Nami's the smartest, and Celia's the kindest. You're taken... He's got to be after my money.." Jill thought about the situation and could find no reason why the thief would choose her.

"Or maybe he's after your heart." Lumina said with a dreamy sigh.

"Stop kidding..." Jill said. But, as the thought lingered in mind, she had the tiniest bit of hope. Love could make anyone change. Maybe... just maybe...

As Jill left the mansion and headed for the bar, the tiniest sparkle of hope remained. One day, she would find that love she had described in the bar only two weeks ago. She held onto that hope, not knowing who her heart would choose. But, as her footsteps echoed through the valley and blended in with the night music of the valley, she knew that no matter who she ended up loving, she would be okay. It was who wouldn't be okay that she was concerned with.

* * *

And there's chapter 4! Ah! I don't normally give previews, but a bar heist is coming up soon! Get excited!


	5. Raising the Bar

Hey guys! Thanks for all of the reviews and feedback! I promise to finish this story in a timely manner (because I too know the disappointments of getting excited about an unfinished story T_T ). Without further ado, here's chapter 5!

* * *

Jill walked into the bar a little earlier than usual. Everyone was huddled around the counter; Kasey, Patrick, Gustafa, Muffy, Griffin, and Nami all whispered together worriedly. Jill walked up to the counter and sat down, looking over at the group. Griffin saw Jill and walked over.

"Sorry for all the commotion. Did you want anything in particular?" Griffin asked. Jill shook her head.

"No, it's a little early in the evening for me to be drinking. I was planning to sit and talk, but everybody seems riled up. What happened?" Jill asked. Griffin nodded and sighed.

"The Phantom Thief sent us a note today," Griffin said, "He's coming around midnight to steal my special bottle of Dragon's Fire."

"What?" Jill asked, standing up, "But Griffin, that's.. that's the hardest drink to make in the entire country! Where did you even get that?" Griffin chuckled. Muffy and the others still looked intently at the note, whispering to each other.

"I traveled quite a bit when I was young," Griffin admitted, "but I never had the courage to take a swig of the Dragon's Fire. I guess I should have sold it if I was never going to drink it, but it's too late now in any case." Griffin sighed, and Jill sat down again. Putting her head in the palm of her hand, Jill sighed and looked up at Griffin

"Wow..." Jill frowned, "I wish I could help. Even if you'll never have the courage to drink it, it's still yours. I can't believe he's so cocky that he'd warn you ahead of time." Griffin chuckled in reply and sat down across from Jill.

"That might be his downfall one day," Griffin smirked, "but if you want to help out tonight, we could use an extra set of eyes. Would you mind being here around midnight?" Jill stood up and nodded.

"You can count on me!" Jill grinned, "Even if he gets away, he won't get away without a fight!" Muffy came over and hugged Jill.

"Oh Jill," Muffy said, "Thank you so much! I'm so glad you'll be here to help!" Jill nodded and looked at her watch. It was only 8 o' clock.

"I'll see you guys around midnight, then." Jill said, giving Muffy a brief hug. Jill walked out of the bar and scratched her head. What would she do for another four hours? Usually she spent her extra time at the bar. It was funny, how the thief was giving her extra time while stealing other people's things. Jill shook her head and decided to put her animals inside. It was supposed to rain tomorrow, and she didn't feel like putting them in after Skye stole from her friends. It made her angry just thinking about it.

An hour later, Jill looked at her watch and sighed. It was only 9 o' clock. All of her animals had been put inside, and her anger had already passed. She found that the more she thought about Skye stealing, the more she thought about Skye. The more she thought about Skye, the less angry she was at him. It was no use. She would defend the possessions of her friends with all that she had, but at the end of the day, she really couldn't be mad at him. Knowing that she couldn't be mad at him just made her more angry with herself.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Jill said to herself, walking aimlessly through the town at night. Why couldn't she just force herself to be mad at him? That would make catching him so much easier. Eventually, her other faults came to mind. Jill found herself less angry and more thoughtful. Where was her life going? Where had it been? Why was she still moving forward after all of this time? Was it because she had to? What if she started backsliding until she just couldn't get up in the morning anymore? Would she sell her animals that she'd known for so long? Would she move back to the city? No... even if she got married in the city she'd still have to be honest. Would she become bitter? Maybe she would just be sarcastic.

Jill found herself staring up at the moon above Goddess Pond. The crickets chirped softly in the late summer air, a gentle reminder that time was still moving even though her heart wasn't. Jill sighed and looked down at her watch.

"What!?" Jill yelled, "11:47!?" Jill quickly started running towards the bar, gathering her thoughts and emotions along the way. She never really had time to get lost in her thoughts. After tonight, she still didn't want to. Even though it helped her know how she truly felt about everything that was happening, it was also depressing to know how she truly felt about most things. Jill's boots clomped quickly over the cobblestone pathway, and Jill burst into the bar just as the clock struck midnight.

"Wow! You're good!" Muffy said with a laugh, "You were excited for this, weren't you?" Muffy winked and Jill blushed, shaking her head.

"Lost... track of... time.." Jill muttered through large breaths.

"Well then," Griffin chuckled, "I'm glad you're on time." Jill nodded and took a deep breath. She stood in the center of the establishment, Muffy and Griffin both behind the bar. For a little while, Jill looked around. After ten minutes, Jill sighed and relaxed.

"I guess he's taking his sweet time about it," Jill assumed out loud. Muffy's stomach rumbled, causing her to blush.

"Oh, excuse-" Muffy started sniffing the air. "Oh... Oh that smells delicious." The scent of Curry Rice wafted through the air. Even Jill found her mouth watering, but knowing that Skye was coming soon, she kept her resolve to stay. Griffin took a deep breath, and found that he wasn't so strong.

"Jill," Griffin said, "Do you mind staying here while we investigate?"

"No, go ahead," Jill said, "Maybe it'll lead you straight to him. Besides, I'll be watching." Muffy nodded at Griffin, and they both exited the bar. Jill wasn't waiting for a minute when Skye stepped inside. Skye stopped when he saw the farmer staring straight at him, just as he had planned. But, Jill couldn't know that.

"Oh, bravo!" Skye smiled, "I didn't think they would recruit help..." Jill grimaced. He was beautiful even under the bar lights. It was almost painful to see him inside.

"Just stop right there!" Jill said, pointing at him and regaining her focus, "You shouldn't just go around stealing people's things! Especially if you warn them first. That's just not a good idea." Skye chuckled and took a step forward. Jill took a step back. Skye took two steps forward, and continued as Jill kept backing up. Soon, Jill found herself against the bar. Skye leaned down until they were nearly nose to nose.

"Do you believe in fate?" Skye whispered. Jill tensed. She wasn't expecting that.

"I-" Jill paused, "I guess so. But what are you going to do, if it's my fate to catch you?" Skye chuckled and stepped back. Jill relaxed too soon, and Skye pulled out something that looked like a water gun. Jill looked at it, confused. What was a water gun going to do?

"Well, lovely maiden," Skye smiled, "If it is your fate catch me, fate will have to be disappointed today." Skye raised the gun and pointed it straight at her heart. "Chick-Beam, FIRE!" Skye yelled. A pink beam of light was emitted, and Jill felt tingly under her skin.

"Wha-" Jill started, only to realize that she couldn't move! Jill was stuck staring straight at Skye.

"I'm sorry for the surprise," Skye smirked, "but I'm always prepared." Skye swiftly walked behind the counter and started to look through the drawers and cabinets for the drink he was looking for. Jill found her body moving only to face him. What was going on? Was he... magic? No, that was impossible. It was just a fancy tool that caused paralysis. But how would one go about getting one of those? Jill reminded herself that he did work in the black market. Maybe she should try to stall him... Muffy and Griffin would be back any moment. Perhaps if she stalled him long enough, he would be caught anyway.

"So..." Jill said slowly, "Why do you steal in the first place?" Skye looked over at her with a strange look for a moment, and then continued to search through the cabinets. After awhile he stood up, noting that a gentleman would answer even if he were a thief.

"I don't know," Skye shrugged truthfully, "Usually thieves steal out of necessity." Skye moved over to the other side of the bar, quickly searching the places people usually hid things. There were quite a few expensive drinks inside, but the one he was looking for was in the very back corner. It would take some maneuvering to get out.

"Hmm..." Jill sighed, "You don't seem like the 'usual' thief. Is it because you're bored?" Skye chuckled to himself. She was very perceptive. He would have to be extra careful on his next project. He had spent a lot of time making a curry rice that would draw them out of the bar, but maybe he needed to spend more time on it.

"Maybe that's the reason and maybe it isn't." Skye said aloud. Skye grabbed a hold of the drink he was looking for. He grinned. It was still in the original bottle. That upped the price by about 10,000 G. "You sure want to know a lot about me," Skye observed with a devilish smile. So, his plan was working already? Well, he couldn't credit himself with her poor judgement but maybe this would be less of a challenge than he originally thought. With the bottle in one hand, Skye walked over to Jill and caressed her face with the other. Jill blushed under his gaze and hated herself for it.

"If you want to know more," Skye said with a silly grin, "you'll have to catch me." Jill heard Muffy and Griffin's voices in the distance. Skye smiled. The spell would wear off in about ten seconds. "I would gladly stay and play, but it looks like I'm pressed for time." Skye winked. He walked to the door and smiled back at Jill one last time before slipping into the night.

Jill felt the paralysis wearing off. If she could just move her body, she could chase after him. Jill started to move her fingers and shoulders, excitedly waiting for her legs to completely comply with her brain. Muffy and Griffin's voices were getting louder. If they just looked around, they would see him getting away! Jill wanted to yell, but she was too focused on her legs. Jill saw the door open. Muffy and Griffin stepped inside, but in the background, Skye waved to Jill with a knowing smile. Jill's mouth dropped open and she pointed her finger.

"T-There!" Jill shouted.

"What is it?" Muffy asked. She opened the door. There was nobody there. Jill's feet finally moved and she ran passed Griffin to open the door. She looked all around, but Skye was nowhere in sight.

"No!" Jill said, finally stepping forward, "He got away!" Muffy gasped in reply and looked around. The cabinets and drawers were all wide open. Griffin finally figured out what was going on and he sighed, crossing his arms. So Skye had been able to get to his drink after all... No matter what the other villagers said about the phantom thief, they could never say he was a liar.

"What?" Muffy asked, "How did he get it? I know he didn't just walk past YOU!" Jill shook her head. Griffin walked back to the cabinet and looked inside.

"I don't know! He had this sort of paralysis thing that looked like a water gun and-" Jill sighed, "I'm still not sure. He can't be that far away! Maybe we could chase after him!" Griffin shook his head.

"No," Griffin said, making the final call, "It's not important enough to put you two ladies in danger. I'm sorry we left you alone in here, Jill." Jill shook her head.

"No, it's alright," Jill sighed, "I'm just disappointed he got away so easily.." Muffy giggled.

"He's not called the Phantom Thief for nothing!" Muffy said, walking behind the bar closing the cabinets and drawers. Griffin agreed and smiled over at Jill.

"Even though he got away with it," Griffin sighed, "I'm happy you helped out. Who knows? Maybe you'll be the one to catch him one day." Jill nodded and rubbed her neck. It was good to be able to move again.

"I suppose I should be getting home." Jill said regretfully. Jill walked out of the bar and looked around. Like she had guessed, there was no indication that he'd even been in the area. Jill sighed and started the short walk home. She passed the Inn, the smell of curry still lingering from the thief's distraction. Jill clenched her fist and stormed up to her farm. He was so arrogant! This wasn't just about the possessions anymore. No, this was personal. Making a fool out of her like that... if she had gotten a hold on him, he wouldn't have been able to do anything but run out of town!

Jill stopped and looked up at the Skye. She knew her mother was up there watching. She hadn't talked to her in so long, but, maybe today was the day to break the silence. Jill hesitated for a moment before sighing and letting go of her frustration.

"Mom," Jill whispered, "You always taught me to do the right thing. You said that I should always try my best, even if I ended up failing. So why does failing still feel so terrible?" Jill waited for a moment and then slowly walked towards the entrance to her farm. "What happens when I don't know what's right anymore? What if my best guess isn't good enough? If I have to follow my heart... I'm afraid I'll make the wrong choice." Jill looked up and watched the stars sparkle silently overhead as if to say _'life goes on'_. Jill closed her eyes and clenched her fists once again.

"Alright, Skye," Jill said through clenched teeth, "If it's my destiny to catch you, then I'll try the best I can to make sure you won't steal again!"

Jill approached her house and looked over her farmland. It was supposed to rain tomorrow, so she wanted to make sure she hadn't missed any work. She found everything satisfactory and was about to walk into her house when she noticed the faintest outline of a footprint in front of her door. Confused, Jill cautiously walked into her house and turned on the light. There was a piece of paper on the floor. Jill looked around to make sure nobody was in the house before she picked up the piece of paper.

_'My Beautiful Princess,_

_It's not so easy to catch a ghost. Maybe a kiss will bring me back to life. Then again, a ghost is much easier to catch than a memory, don't you think? I personally think you won't catch me unless I happen to fall. ;)_

_Your personal ghost,_

_Skye'_

Jill put her hand over her heart. He was smooth. So what? She was still going to catch him. As Jill put the letter in her drawer with the other letter from Skye, her heart seemed to tell a different story. Jill looked at her pen jar and swore that it looked a little low on pens. It had probably been Takakura. Jill sighed and got ready for bed before turning out the lights. With Lumina's engagement and the bar heist and the letter, Jill didn't know what to think about love anymore. Jill purposely fell asleep as fast as possible. Tomorrow, all of this would be a memory... hopefully one as hard to catch as Skye had implied.

Marlin sat staring out of his window from his bed. Sometimes when he got to thinking, he really couldn't sleep. It was around 1 o' clock, and Marlin was finally ready to turn in. He was about to put his legs under the covers, but he saw a flash of silver pass the front window. Curious, Marlin walked to the front window and peered out. An odd man with silver hair stood outside with his arms crossed, as if he were waiting. Marlin walked to the door and walked outside in his blue and white striped pajamas.

"I didn't think you'd come outside," Skye said with a half-smile, "but here you are." Skye looked over Marlin clearly for the first time. In the first ten seconds, he analyzed his weaknesses and his personality. Such was the life of a con man. He noticed that he was rather tall, and pretty thin for a farmer. As for looks, he was a classic sort of handsome, but he also happened to be unaware of that fact. He was not confident in any of his abilities and covered his extreme shyness with a veil of unpleasantness.

"Who are you?" Marlin asked, looking Skye over himself, "And why are you sneaking around so late at night anyway?" Skye chuckled in reply and then turned to the side, getting serious.

"There's no way she'd fall in love with someone so..." Skye paused, "What's the word I'm looking for..." Marlin was confused. Who was he talking about? He had never seen this guy in his entire life... maybe somebody Celia knew from the city?

"I don't know what you're talking about," Marlin frowned defensively, "Are you talking about Celia?"

"Clueless," Skye said, "That's the word I was looking for." Marlin clenched his fists. There was no need for insults unless he was trying to size him up. That begged the question... what did he want?

"Who do you think you are, anyway?" Marlin asked pointedly, getting annoyed by the arrogance of the man standing in front of him.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Skye asked, "I'm Skye. Phantom Thief extraordinaire and the man who's about to steal your woman away. Usually I would leave a note, but I thought I'd deliver this message in person." Skye turned to Marlin with an evil half smile. "It doesn't matter what you say to her, she's already falling faster than she realizes."

"Ha!" Marlin laughed confidently, throwing Skye off guard, "Jill? There's no way she'd be friends with you, let alone fall in love." Skye frowned in disapproval and regained his serious demeanor.

"That's some pretty big talk for someone so deep in the friend-zone he's practically considered another woman." Skye retorted. Marlin narrowed his eyes and Skye did the same. They stood that way for awhile, wondering who would throw the first punch.

"There's no way she's falling for someone like you," Marlin said, breaking the silence, "she wouldn't allow herself to break her moral code so easily." Skye chuckled.

"Oh? Think of it this way," Skye smiled knowingly, "Jill's been in the village for four years. She's known you for three. Though she knows the customs and could have easily proposed any time she wished, she's held back this long. Why? She was waiting for something better. Why would she settle for some sickly farmer? She can do twice as much work as you can in a day, maybe three times. Not to mention your generally grumpy attitude. You didn't even say hello when you came outside." Marlin growled.

"What do you know!?" Marlin spat, "You don't know anything about what she feels!"

"I know this," Skye said, "Settling for someone you don't love might lead to a happy life, but it will always come second to finding somebody you love, even if the friendship isn't as strong. She might have entertained the idea of spending her life with you because you were a good friend." Skye looked straight into Marlin's eyes, "Might have... if I hadn't come to steal her heart." Marlin's eyes widened. What was this feeling? He was mad... but it was... was it true? No, it couldn't be. Marlin's face twisted in anger and he threw a punch. Skye dodged the punch easily, Marlin throwing himself over the fence into the crops. Skye chuckled and walked out of the valley.

Marlin used the fence to stand up again and watched as Skye walked up the hill out of the valley. Marlin found the strength to duck under the fence and stumble back to the house. Before he went inside, he narrowed his eyes up at the hill. Whatever Skye was planning on doing, Marlin wouldn't let him get away with it. No matter what that thief thought he knew about Jill, Marlin had been one of her best friends for three years. He would protect Jill from anything that guy tried to pull or die trying. Marlin stumbled back inside, already feeling a bruise from the fence form on his stomach. That was nothing compared to what had been said by Skye.

_'Might have... if I hadn't come to steal her heart.'_

"Whatever," Marlin muttered to himself settling under his covers, "The bad guys never win." But, as he tried to fall asleep, one thought nagged at the back of his mind. What if, this time, he did?


	6. Two for the Price of One

So, here's Chapter 6! You have no idea how happy writing this chapter made me. I'm just adding an extra disclaimer here because I'm staying pretty faithful to the love event scenes that were in the game as they pop up in the story. They're not verbatim, but they're pretty close. Of course, all of you Marlin and Skye fans probably already know that. ;) Enjoy!

* * *

Jill woke up to the sound of raindrops on her roof. She peeked over her covers with half-lidded eyes, ready to pull the covers back over her head. Jill slowly turned her sleepy head towards the clock. It was 5:45 in the morning, Summer 23rd of the 5th year she'd been here in the valley. How had so much time pass already? It seemed like yesterday she had been called in from the city to inherit her mother's land. It had all been a toss up when her mother died. Jill thought that Jack (her older brother) would take it. It turned out, he had already accepted grandpa's land in Mineral Town not too far from the Valley. As of now they were both successful farmers. The only difference was her brother's marriage to the Inn owner's daughter. It was funny, because she thought of Lumina as a sister. Both of them were marrying the child of an Inn owner. What a small world.

Shaking away the silly thoughts she often had when she was tired, Jill pushed the covers off of her and sat up in bed. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, knowing that she would have extra time on her hands. She didn't have to water when it rained. It was a nice break from work, but finding something else to occupy your time in a village like this was next to impossible. So, getting dressed for the rest of the day, she began her routine by eating some toast and heading out to the barn.

Two hours later, all of the animals had been groomed and had food for the day. Jill walked outside of coop two and looked up at the sky, letting the raindrops hit her face. As promised, the memories of yesterday were fading fast with the new memories being retained for the day. Jill walked over to her crops and spent a good deal of time harvesting the corn. She promptly put it in the shipping bin and ignored the time as she walked out to Vesta's Farm. She knew that Celia and Marlin were encouraged to stay inside on rainy days, so she thought she would see if Vesta wanted any help.

Jill opened the door, soaked. Marlin was standing by the stairwell, arms crossed as usual. Jill looked over at Vesta who was just finishing up with the dishes. Vesta turned and gave a smile. Jill smiled back, and Celia came down the stairs with a bright smile.

"Celia, Marlin," Vesta said, "It's raining pretty hard out there, so try to stay indoors as much as possible today." Marlin glared at Vesta. He didn't know whether it was what she had said or what that thief had said last night, but he was fed up with people thinking he was weak. He could go outside if he wanted to? He could do as much work as he needed to! He was in charge of his own body.

"That's it! I'm outta here!" Marlin yelled, "I'm sick being treated like a sick kid!" Marlin stormed towards the door. Jill stood wide eyed at his looming figure. She never really saw him angry. Grumpy? Yes. Sarcastic? Yes. But angry...

"Outta my way!" Marlin shouted. Jill squeezed herself to the side of the entrance and let Marlin go through. Vesta ran towards the door just in time to see him leave. Celia looked on sadly. She never liked to see Marlin upset. Sometimes it seemed he went off for no reason. Jill knew better. Marlin always had a reason... even a reason to get angry. Jill walked all the way into the house and frowned. She actually felt like crying... but now wasn't the time. She figured Marlin felt like crying right about now, too.

"Oh!" Vesta gasped, "He really shouldn't be out there in the rain. Will you help me look for him?" Vesta said, looking to Jill. Jill nodded in reply and looked out of the window. He was still storming down the road towards town. He would probably want to be somewhere secluded. Vesta seemed to pick up the hint.

"Alright. I'll go check the beach. Why don't you head up to the spring?" Vesta asked, reaching for her raincoat that hung on the wall.

"Of course." Jill said, "I'll make sure to bring him back if I see him." Jill opened the door and walked outside, running as fast as she could. Marlin was outside... he was so angry he didn't even take his raincoat. She knew that he was stubborn and could handle a lot more than other people thought he could, but she was still worried. Even she would get a cold running around in this sort of weather. Jill ran up the hill and rounded the corner to the spring. She let out a sigh of relief as she saw Marlin standing in front of the pond.

Jill walked up to Marlin slowly. He didn't hear her footsteps. The skies had opened up and let go of all the water they had, pouring down onto the valley. Jill grabbed Marlin's hand and brought him under the shelter of the tree so that he wouldn't get any wetter. Jill was still panting from running so fast. Marlin looked down at his feet until Jill caught her breath.

"What are you doing here?" Marlin asked. Jill stared at him open-mouthed.

"You're joking, right?" Jill asked, "You yell at me, storm off in the middle of a rainstorm and plan to stand here for Goddess knows how long.. You really have to ask me why I'm here?" Marlin shrugged. Jill sighed and tilted his head up so that he was at least looking at her instead of his feet. "You never yell.. even when you want to. I was worried about you." Jill let her hand drop, but Marlin's head stayed up.

"You were worried... about me?" Marlin asked. Jill nodded, and Marlin seemed to relax a little more. He had been friends with Jill for a long time. He knew she wouldn't judge him if he told the truth. "I can't think of anyone else I could tell this to. Will you listen for a little bit?" Jill gave a smile of relief and nodded. Since they were under the tree, she wasn't so worried about him catching cold. They should still head back inside soon. "You remember awhile ago when I told you I was pretty sick as a kid? Well, when I first got here, before you got here, I was pretty healthy. I could do a ton of work. I would do most of the watering and harvesting. Vesta was mostly doing bookkeeping work. I was pretty arrogant back then. But then I got pretty sick. Ever since then, even though it's been so long, I feel like I haven't gotten back to where I used to be. Then you come along and you can do all of the things that I can't do anymore. I look at you and I see somebody I could have been really confident with. I keep thinking, if I was able to work like usual, I could have really been of help. I wouldn't have hesitated to be your friend... to be there when you really needed me to be."

Marlin and Jill were silent for awhile. The rain fell down around them, shielding anyone else from listening in. It was their own private moment.

"Jill," Marlin said, leaning down, "I want your honest opinion. Do you think I'll ever get my strength back?" Jill looked up at Marlin.

"Of course you will," Jill said without hesitation, "It's hard to have to build up strength. When I first got here, I felt like I wouldn't make it a week. When I made it through the week, I thought I wouldn't last the month. But now I'm here, four years later. I know that you just want to give up sometimes, and that it seems like you'll never make it back to where you were, but you will! One day, if you keep working hard enough, you'll be even better than you were. You just have to fight for what you want." Marlin stood up straight and looked down.

"You really think so?" Marlin said, giving a small smile. Jill nodded and Marlin laughed. "Well, you haven't lied to me before." Jill hugged Marlin tightly, taking him by surprise. He put his arms around her and rested his head on top of hers. Jill listened to Marlin's heart race. She secretly smiled to herself before pulling away. Even though it was cold outside, she felt warmer now. Marlin did, too.

"Just.. don't keep your frustration in for so long." Jill said, "I don't really like being yelled at. If you'd gone off on Celia, she might not have recovered." Marlin scratched his head and gave a laugh.

"Thanks for.. everything. I feel silly now." Marlin admitted, "Maybe I should be more confident."

"You think?" Jill joked, "Try being confident from this moment on! It'll change your life!" Jill smiled up at Marlin, and he smiled back. Then he got an idea.

"From this moment on, huh?" Marlin said aloud.

So, hidden from the rest of the village by the giant tree and the deafening rain, Marlin leaned down and kissed Jill for the first time. Marlin stood up again to find that Jill was still frozen, a blush creeping to her face. A dazed smile rose on her face, making Marlin blush and turn away.

"We should probably go home now," Marlin said, "I mean! My home! We should go to- no, I mean tell Vesta-" Jill giggled as Marlin fumbled through his sentence.

"Okay." Jill laughed, "Let's go home."

It didn't take the two long to get back to Vesta's house. Marlin and Jill walked inside, both grinning. Vesta had just gotten back from the beach and was talking to Celia. She looked at her brother, noticed his grin, and was instantly relieved.

"Welcome back, Marlin." Vesta said with a smile. Celia was still downcast.

"Where did you go?" Celia asked, "I mean, sorry. Are you okay? We were worried about you."

"Yeah, I'm fine now," Marlin said with a confident smile, "Jill talked me through it. I'm sorry for storming out like that... and I guess I'll stay out of the rain for now." Vesta smiled in relief.

"No no, it's fine," Vesta said, "You are human, after all. I'm just glad to see a little fire back in your eyes." Celia seemed to cheer up when she noticed that Marlin was feeling better, too. Jill smiled, knowing that everything would be okay for the rest of the day.

"It's almost lunchtime," Jill said, "I think I'm going to head out." The three looked over at her. Celia nodded, and Vesta walked over. She gave Jill a big hug. Jill laughed. "Thanks Vesta." Jill smiled.

"No, thank you!" Vesta said, "I don't know what you said to my brother, but I think he'll be alright now." Marlin chuckled to himself. Jill nodded to Vesta.

"I'll see you later, then." Marlin smiled. Friend-zone his butt. Jill nodded happily and walked outside. She only got two steps away before the blush crept up to her face once more. She could understand gaining confidence from a pep talk, but that was... something else. Jill smiled to herself and started walking to her house. She felt like dancing and digging her grave all at once. She thought the next person she'd be kissing was Skye... maybe that was why she was so happy. She did like Marlin, and she would probably start to notice him a lot more as a potential husband than just a friend from now on, but the more she thought of Marlin, the more she thought of what committing her life to him would entail.

Jill soon walked into her house soaked from the rain. She made herself tempura noodles and turned on the TV. Even though she liked Marlin, she still wasn't sure about spending the rest of her life with him. She also liked Skye (as much as she didn't want to admit it), but there was no way she could trust him. He was exciting... but maybe it was just a crush. Jill remembered Skye's face leaning down, their lips almost touching.

_'Do you believe in fate?'_

Jill squeezed her eyes shut to clear her head and started eating her noodles. Even if she did believe in fate, this was going to be one rough ride. It would be sunny tomorrow. Why couldn't she just be happy with Marlin? Or completely unhappy with Skye? Jill finished watching the DVD and finished her noodles. It was still raining cats and dogs outside. She didn't want to take a nap, but she couldn't really do much of anything. Maybe she would go mining.

Shutting off her TV, Jill made sure to grab her hammer and her hoe in her rucksack before leaving the house. Putting the hood of her jacket up, Jill began her journey towards the mine. Rainy days were really her only chance to go mining for important materials to upgrade her tools. Sometimes she dug up pretty jewelry, too. She didn't get to wear it often, but she always enjoyed a pretty pair of earrings. She would be happy if somebody gave her some as a present one day, but it would be a shot in the dark for any of her friends to guess that.

It took about forty minutes to trek across town. Jill was about to walk past the tent when she heard a commotion. Not being able to keep herself away, Jill peeked inside.

"Everything okay in here?" Jill asked. Carter and Flora were holding a sheet of paper in their hands. Flora looked at Carter, and Carter looked at Flora.

"No no," Carter said, "Everything's fine. What can I do for you today?" Jill was still curious about the sheet of paper, but it looked pretty old. Maybe it was another treasure map? Last time she and Flora had dug up a hot springs. Apparently this paper wasn't as important.

"I was just wondering if the mines were open," Jill said, "I didn't know if you two had put away all of your gear or not." Flora gave her usual 'smile not smile' and nodded.

"It's all good. Just don't fall too far. Using tools is a lot harder in the rain, even when it's not falling directly on you." Flora reminded her. Jill made a mental note of it and smiled.

"Okay, thanks." Jill said. As soon as she started walking towards the mine, the commotion started again. Jill, still not satisfied, crept to the side of the tent and leaned in as close as possible. She could hear mumbling voices... but nothing important came up. She assumed it was another letter from an esteemed colleague. Maybe they had made a top secret discovery! That would probably give Carter a lot of esteem in the field, and maybe a pretty penny as well. She wondered how much a big discovery would give him in gold... Jill shook her head. "What am I doing?" Jill asked herself softly, walking towards the mines. She was even thinking like a thief now.

Inside, Jill studied the ground. She could sometimes see the bumps from hidden items in the ground. After about an hour, Jill had found a necklace, two pairs of earrings, a broach and three bracelets. She also found some suntan lotion, which was great for summer and fall. Jill stretched her arms above her head and was about to head into the second mind when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Jill turned around, face to face with Skye in broad daylight. Jill jumped at the sight of him. He was soaked, his leopard skin shirt clinging to his lean muscular frame. His hair covered his face, and his mouth was shut. Curious, Jill lifted her hand and pushed the hair behind his ear. She did the same for the other side. He just stared down at her sadly. Jill wanted to be mad at him. She wanted to shout and reprimand him for stealing from Griffin, but when she saw those sad eyes...

"What are you doing here?" Jill asked. Skye looked into her eyes, and Jill felt her knees go weak. Crap.

"I don't know..." Skye shrugged, "I always get sad on rainy days. Usually I stay home, but I happened to see you heading here and I.. I guess I just followed you."

"Why me?" Jill asked, "That doesn't make sense! Why did you follow me?" When Skye didn't give an answer, Jill bit her lip. She knew that Carter and Flora wouldn't be headed back to the mine for today, but... "Okay..." Jill sighed, "Have a seat." Jill sat down against the wall and Skye sat down beside her.

_'Damn...'_ Skye thought, _'I didn't think anyone be here. Why is she here? Still, I'd better make the most of it while I can.'_

The events leading up to this had been... interesting to say the least. Skye had traveled by bus to the city around 3 AM. He visited some of his old pals briefly before heading over to the marketplace. His most recent 'find' had been popular... almost too popular. He drew just enough attention to sell it and get out before the undercover's came. Skye then visited an old shack inside of the graveyard before catching a bus back to the Valley Stop. Unfortunately for him, the bus broke down. Not needing to be seen by any government officials, Skye had to walk three miles in the rain. He had actually walked the forest behind the farmland and Goddess Spring to sneak into the mind and wait out the rain. He hadn't counted on anyone being inside.

"I'm not happy." Skye said. Jill looked over to him, and Skye widened his eyes. It wasn't a lie, but he was surprised it had come out so easily.

"I wouldn't be happy thieving all the time either," Jill sighed, "but for the sake of helping you feel better, why aren't you happy?" She was trying her best to not seem like a lovesick puppy. That wasn't the girl she was, anyway. If she kept her cool, maybe she could end up talking him out of stealing things. Skye laughed and Jill couldn't keep herself from blushing.

"You're so straightforward," Skye said. Jill looked away shyly and crossed her arms, waiting for him to continue. "I guess it'd be pretty easy not to trust me, but even though I steal other people's things you can't really call me a liar. If I say I'll do something, I do it." Jill nodded to say that she understood, and Skye looked up at the high mine ceiling, wondering how stable it was. "It rained for three straight days after my parents died," Skye said, "I guess... every time I listen to it coming down it reminds me of how I felt back then... how I still feel about it now." Jill turned her head to look at Skye, and he continued. "A long time ago, when I was still optimistic about the world, I was known as Steiner. I lived with my parents in our inn, in a small town about fifty miles from here. One day, my mother got sick. So, Dad drove her to the city to get some tests done. My grandma came back later that day telling me that I was going to live with her. I moved in. We haven't spoken since the funeral."

Jill was silent. Why was he telling her all of this? Was she supposed to feel bad? It was working, but was that all he wanted from her?

"My grandmother is a very wealthy woman. Even though I didn't have much for social activity at home, I never wanted for anything. I was put into a private school, filled with boys just like me. It didn't take long for me to get mixed in with the wrong crowd. Together we would do a whole bunch of stupid things. But, I was by far the best thief of the group. I could get in and out of anywhere, I could even tell the owners of the item ahead of time and still get away with it. It was such a rush! I finally felt something. After so much time spent going through the motions of life, I was able to feel again through the thrill of potentially being caught. I kept thinking of how disappointed Grandma would be... I guess I felt that she already was. She never tried to talk to me. I've been on my own for quite some time, but I still don't need another penny. Sometimes, when I'm not busy stealing, I know that I don't want to steal anymore. I'm just afraid that if I stop, I'll cease to feel anything. " Skye paused, "It's different, with you. You always seem to be there when I least expect it. I think it's fate... that you're the one trying to stop me. I got your chicken back because I thought you were cute.. and I felt pretty bad walking home with that drink yesterday."

Jill looked away, blushing. He seemed... normal. Why was he apologizing now? Jill felt her heart pounding in her chest. What was happening? She wasn't falling for this, was she? That would be crazy? Jill looked at his eyes. They were on fire with different emotions. They each seemed to flicker past at the speed of light, even in the dull torch-lit mine. She was mystified. She actually believed what he was saying. But... why?

"I know this sounds crazy but..." Skye said, "Can you kiss me? You won't owe me anymore, I just want to know." Jill stood up quickly, snapping back to reality. Kissing two guys in one day...? Her life just got a bit more interesting. Skye stood up slowly and tilted Jill's face towards his. She was already blushing. "If you're nervous, you can close your eyes." Skye said playfully. Jill nodded and closed her eyes. Skye smiled. So, she was nervous? That was a good sign. Skye took a piece of Jill's hair and put it behind her ear just as she had done to him earlier. Pulling her close, Skye leaned down and tenderly planted his lips on hers. Almost instantly, Jill relaxed into his arms and kissed back. Skye could feel her heart racing against him. He smiled and kept her close, lovingly staring down at her as she slowly opened her eyes. Jill stared up at him, still blushing.

"I-" Jill said suddenly, pulling away, "I need to go." Before Skye could protest, Jill was already running out of the mine. Skye stood silently for a moment before laughing to himself. Walking to the first mine, Skye decided that he would spend the rest of the day drying off inside. He never showed his face in town during the day, so her being in the mine at that exact moment was actually pretty convenient. Maybe fate was working in his favor after all. But, as he sat down in the safety of the dry mine, he couldn't stop thinking about how soft her lips had been against his...

Jill didn't stop running until she reached her front door. Panting lightly, she sat down in the rain and touched her lips. She could still feel them there. But whose? Whose kiss had lingered? Was it Marlin? Was it Skye? Her heart was racing. She didn't know what to think anymore. Skye didn't use her kiss to get away with stealing anything. Marlin had just gotten up the courage after three years. She had kissed her best friend, and a man she barely knew. She let the rain fall on her head as she wondered why her heart and her mind couldn't agree. Her mind still liked Marlin, but her heart chose Skye. She wouldn't be able to choose until they agreed.

_'From this moment on, huh?'_

_'Sometimes, I don't want to steal anymore-'_

_'I look at you and see somebody I could have been really confident with.'_

_'I think it's fate... that you're the one trying to stop me.'_

Jill set her head on her knees. Why wouldn't her heart and her head agree? The kiss still lingered... but whose kiss was it? The rain poured, silencing the rest of the world around her. As the rain ran down her face and dropped onto her arms, she wondered... Would she ever know?


	7. Fireworks

Jill woke up with her body aching. She had lost track of time while sitting in the rain, and now had to live with the consequences of aching muscles with a full day of work still ahead. Stretching her arms above her head to alleviate some of the stiffness, Jill crawled out of bed to get ready for the day. She was going to have to take work slowly; the fireworks festival usually ran until midnight. Still, knowing that Skye wouldn't dare show his face in front of so many townspeople gave her comfort to move through the day without worry.

Marlin woke up with to the sun shining on his face. He felt stronger than he had in a long time. He quickly got out of bed and dressed for the day. He ate heartily at breakfast, much to Vesta and Celia's relief. For some reason, when Marlin was in a good mood, everyone in the house had a good mood. Maybe he should be more energetic from time to time. He wouldn't change right away, of course. He was still pretty reserved about his feelings and only smiled when there was a legitimate reason. But as he headed out to water the fields, he felt change on the horizon... and that felt pretty good.

Skye woke up in complete darkness, just like every morning. He rubbed his eyes and sluggishly walked over to the window. He pushed the curtains open and winced at the strength of the daylight shining full-force into his eyes. He was more of a night owl, really. Walking over to a table laden with scattered papers of all shapes and sizes, Skye sleepily reached for the area itinerary. The words were smudged from the walk in the rain, but it wasn't useless. Giving a yawn, Skye circled the three potential targets in the valley and set the paper back on the table. He really wasn't a morning person. Tonight was the fireworks festival, which meant he would steal the important things while everyone was out. The least important of the three targets he would make public so he could make headway on the Jill project.

Something was at work in the valley that day. As Jill did her chores, Marlin did his work, and Skye did his planning, their heartbeats and actions seemed tied together by a line that could not be seen to the human eye. Jill found out from Takakura that her storage space for her money was full. Marlin looked up the hill every now and then, as if he could sense Skye lurking for the right moment to agitate him again. Skye watched the village intently from his hiding spot on the mountain. He saw Marlin gaze in his direction more than once, and he saw Jill and Takakura's conversation. As they all worked and went about the day, something was different. That day, they all realized, was the start of a battle that would only end with one true victor. Skye would win if he stole Jill's heart away from Marlin and succeed in stealing her money. Marlin would win if he was able to make Jill see him as someone to spend the rest of her life with. Jill would win only if the man she married loved her more than any of the three could possibly imagine. Who would win?

The rest of the day played out like a normal day in the valley. Jill and Marlin finished chores, and Skye got some rest before the heists began. Soon, the sun started to set on the valley, and the villagers flocked to the beach to witness what Patrick and Kasey had worked on the entire year: a fireworks show to top every show they had ever seen. As soon as the journey to the beach began, Skye woke to his alarm clock and put on a smile. Jill looked over in the direction of the setting sun anxiously, knowing that she would have to talk to Marlin. Marlin headed towards the beach with Vesta and Celia, his heart strong and his body light. Celia watched Marlin stride ahead of them, and found herself smiling fondly. Maybe... maybe she did like him.

The whole village was on the beach by the time Jill got the courage to go. Families and friends talked loudly together, setting down blankets and settling in for the fantastic fireworks show. Jill saw many people laughing, others pouting, and even more just talking like they did any other day. That was when she saw him. Marlin stood, hands in his pockets, looking at the sky with a smile. Celia looked up to him with a smile, and Vesta was spreading a blanket down for them to sit on. As the sun dipped completely below the horizon, Marlin seemed... solid. For the first time in a long time, Jill found that Marlin looked like... a man. Jill walked up to him nervously, the shyness she had when she had first come to the village coming back as she reached up to tap his shoulder. Jill shook her head.

_'No...'_ Jill thought, _'This is Marlin! Your best friend, remember? No need to be nervous! Just... smile!' _

Jill relaxed and smiled. She tapped his shoulder and he turned around, the last rays of sun illuminating his face like that of a lost angel.

"Yo, you're here?" Marlin said, greeting her by raising his hand, "Man, I love fireworks. I wait for this every year..." Jill struggled to stay relaxed. What was this? She had watched the fireworks with Marlin, Vesta, and Celia last year, but watching them together now felt different. She felt like there were things they needed to say before they moved any further but... Jill kept her cool and nodded.

"Yeah, I know," Jill grinned, "You've been ready for them since last winter. Do you remember? We were at the bar, and right after you finished your drink you just looked up and sighed, 'I wish there were fireworks tonight. I don't think I can wait another half a year.', like you had lost your first love." Marlin chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair.

"You remembered that?" Marlin asked, "Man, I should watch what I say around you." Jill laughed. Now was the moment. Her heart skipped a beat. She went for it.

"So... do you want to go watch them," Jill paused, "together?" Marlin blinked, not quite picking up what she had said. Celia's head turned slightly; she had been listening in on the conversation since Marlin had turned around. Marlin thought about it for a few seconds, and then realized she meant away from Celia and Vesta. A slow smile broke onto his face. Jill blushed and Marlin laughed.

"Yeah," Marlin nodded, "That'd be great. Let's go find a spot." Jill exhaled for the first time in what had seemed like an eternity, and Marlin took her hand and walked towards the shoreline like it was the most natural thing in the world. Jill followed behind closely, the last rays of sun dipping below the horizon. The fireworks were about to begin. Marlin found a small, empty space near the front and sat down, Jill following suit. The space was cramped; Jill's arms and legs brushed up against Marlin in the attempt not to be entering Ruby's personal bubble. Marlin found it hard to breathe with Jill sitting so close to him, but not for the normal reason. He didn't feel sick, but as he looked at Jill's long brown hair and tanned skin in the moonlight, his stomach still felt odd.

"I'm sorry I didn't find a bigger space," Marlin said, breaking the silence, "I just thought the closer we were to the fireworks, the better they'd look." Jill looked over at Marlin and smiled in reply. She knew he hadn't meant to make her uncomfortable. For now, she was just enjoying the smell of the salty air and the warmth coming from Marlin's body. It was a chilly night for summer. Jill wrapped her arms around herself and sighed.

"I'm pretty cold," Jill said softly, "I think Fall might come a couple days early this year." Marlin looked over at her and then down at himself. He hadn't brought a coat for himself, either. Martin cleared his throat and tried to think of something. Soon, he got an idea.

"Well," Marlin sighed, "You can lean on me. It might be warmer that way." Jill looked over at Marlin and smiled. Marlin looked up at the sky, waiting for the announcement. He was caught by surprise when Jill closed the already small gap between them and laid her head on his shoulder. Marlin was stiff for a moment, but he reacted quickly afterwards by draping his arm around her waist. They had never been so near to each other before. Even when you had known someone for so long, you still had an infinite amount to learn just by being close.

"That's better." Jill said. The first firework exploded in the sky, brilliantly filling the air with an exciting shade of green. Jill loved the thrill of watching fireworks. The explosions made her heart race and her eyes go crazy. She only wanted to take everything in, her eyes trying their hardest to retain the vision long after the light faded into the ocean. After each one exploded, she swore she could taste the light on her tongue as it illuminated her mind and calmed her thoughts.

Skye had finished the thefts in time to catch the fireworks, secretly applauding himself on a job well done. He was on a tall hill beside the beach. He figured more people would watch the fireworks from here if they knew how to climb up. He rather enjoyed his private spots in the valley. The fireworks exploded loudly in the air, making Skye's heart race. Despite having stolen from Kasey and Patrick before, Skye absolutely loved the work they did. If it hadn't been such an enticing challenge, he would have left it alone. Halfway through the show, Skye looked to the beach. His eyes scanned the crowd of people, wondering if anyone had stayed home. But, soon he caught sight of something... interesting. Marlin and Jill were cuddling together in the front. They seemed squeezed between two other groups, but there was no reason to be that close. Skye frowned and looked back to the sky. If Marlin insisted on being an annoyance, he would have to take care of his feelings for her... or perhaps... take care of her feelings for him. Skye looked back down to the beach and quickly spotted Celia. Instead of looking at the sky, she looked longingly ahead of her, straight at Marlin and Jill. Skye smiled. A plan was already forming in his head. He looked back up to the fireworks, a bright green star lighting the sky.

_'You're jealous,'_ Skye thought to himself. Why had he thought of it? As the next color flashed by, purple, he found himself looking over at Marlin and Jill again. They were too close... but why did he care? Was it really for the money? Skye forced his eyes back to the sky, but constantly had to keep his eyes from wandering. _'Where is her smile?'_ Skye thought to himself, _'Can she really be all that happy? If I were with her, I would at least make sure she could smil- No...'_ Skye shook his head. That wasn't his concern. All he needed to do was make her fall out of love with Marlin and in love with him. He had never done something like this before. _'Let's make this the only time,'_ Skye thought to himself, watching another firework, red, flash brightly in the sky, _'No need to learn the same lesson twice.' _Skye put his hand over his chest and felt his heart race. For the first time since he'd started the project, he considered the very high possibility that it wasn't just the fireworks.

"I love the fireworks," Marlin said calmly, "I feel like I could watch them forever and never get tired of them." Jill nodded in reply, taking in the thrilling sensation. Not soon after, she realized that something felt wrong. She had often heard it said that kisses were like fireworks. The emotions fireworks and kisses instilled in you were the same. Had she really felt that with Marlin? Even though she was sitting so close to him, leaning on his shoulder like she had been doing this for years, the fireworks didn't seem any different from the last time she had seen them. Was Marlin really the one? How could you sit so close to someone without feeling anything but normal? It felt natural to be so close... but it was anything but exciting. Jill remembered her kiss with Skye and she lifted her head. What had that kiss felt like? Jill had been shocked by its sudden arrival, but it had inspired her to run all of the way home without stopping. What had it felt like? The finale of fireworks started, leaving the villagers in awe. Halfway through, Jill looked up to the sky being lit up with all different colors and shapes like her entire life flashing before her eyes.

"Like that," Jill whispered, "It felt like that." Marlin was too mystified to notice Jill's whisper. Jill scooted away from Marlin as the show ended, the villagers clapping. Jill joined in, forgetting her recent troubles. Even if Skye's kiss had felt like that, it could have just been the unexpected nature of it. Maybe it was a fluke. It would take much more than a good kiss for her to fall in love with a thief. Besides, all kisses had to get boring after a time. Not every kiss was going to feel like a firework once she got married... would it? There was more to love than excitement. Marlin looked over at Jill. He could tell she was thinking deeply about something. Was it good? He hoped so. Marlin stretched his arms above his head and gave a yawn.

"Well," Marlin sighed, "It's pretty late. We should probably be heading back." Jill was still deep in thought. Marlin placed his hand on her shoulder and she snapped back to reality.

"Oh! Oh yeah," Jill said, "I have to be up in six hours, after all." Marlin sighed.

"I wish you wouldn't work yourself so hard," Marlin stated. But Jill was already deep in thought again. Marlin frowned and started to walk towards Celia and Vesta. Jill followed slowly, inhaling the smoke of the charred ruins; it was all that remained of the giants that had demanded her full attention such a short time ago, a solemn reminder of how brief things of beauty could be. Jill was soon standing beside Marlin. He was discussing the fireworks with Celia. Jill looked up and immediately bent down to help Vesta fold the blanket. Vesta shot an appreciative smile Jill's way before continuing. When the blanket was folded, Marlin turned to Jill.

"Thanks for watching with me." Marlin said. Jill nodded and smiled, watching the three walk away. Even though she knew it was late, Jill was pulled in by the waves in the moonlight. Jill could taste the salty air on her lips, and she was too tired to think of anything too seriously now. Jill looked around and slipped off her shoes, feeling the coarse sand between her toes. She looked up to the unpolluted sky and lifted her arms. She never forced herself to stay up so late. She would probably come here more often when she found the time. Jill walked until the ocean water washed over her feet. The water was freezing, but it was nicer than the walk home would have been.

Skye was about to leave before he saw the farmer stay behind and take off her shoes. Skye chuckled to himself and climbed down onto the beach as the farmer had her back turned. He walked up to her silently and tapped her shoulder. Jill whirled around, shocked to see Skye laughing at her sudden reaction. His mood was different from the last time she had seen him. She still remembered his rain soaked clothing, droplets of water dripping off of his beautiful silver strands. The sad look in his eyes was gone, replaced with life and joy. She never knew what this guy would say next. He was the opposite of Marlin. She was comfortable when she should have been uncomfortable with Marlin. With Skye, she was uncomfortable even when she should have been comfortable. Jill offered a shaky smile back, wondering how crazy she looked on a scale of 1-10. She had to be up in less than six hours, and here she was standing barefoot in the ocean talking to a known thief.

"Going for a midnight ocean viewing?" Skye asked, "I understand the allure. I am a night owl after all."

"Oh? By habit or profession?" Jill asked quickly. Skye smirked. She was a quick witted one, Jill. Jill barely kept herself from smiling.

"So, what's holding you back?" Skye asked with a raised eyebrow. Jill's eyes widened and she looked to Skye. How had he...?

"Holding me back from what?" Jill asked. Skye ran his fingers through his hair and looked up at the moon. The smoke from the fireworks had faded away, giving way to a beautiful full moon that illuminated the sky.

"From being yourself," Skye said, "I may be a thief but I'm not the worst person in the world. In fact, I'd probably say I'm one of the better ones." Jill sighed at his response, not knowing what argument to combat first.

"How do you figure you're one of the better people?" Jill asked, "You blatantly steal people's things. I don't know of a mean person in this valley. They don't deserve to be stolen from." Skye laughed. She was so naive. She had a very straight moral compass, that was for sure.

"Oh?" Skye asked, "I suppose you don't think having too much is as big a treachery as stealing is. Let me enlighten you on the subject. When people have too much, they tend to get greedy for more. Every purchase feeds a hole that they've created in themselves, a need for the next, newest, and brightest. You even see it here in the valley. Galen has 16 fishing poles. Carter has hundreds of potentially important artifacts hidden away. Griffin's drink would have been on the shelf until the day he died. The necklace from the mansion hadn't seen the light of day for 13 years. Kasey and Patrick make fireworks for a living, but some of their most fantastic works are tossed away. Kate's got an extensive and expensive teddy bear collection, Ruby has interesting things from all over the world hiding in bins under her bed." Skye paused to look Jill in the eye before continuing. "Do I think that these people deserve to be stolen from? Honestly, no. But when I don't leave a note that something's being stolen, I haven't heard one instance of somebody even knowing the item was missing."

Jill looked at Skye, the moon illuminating his eyes. They were filled with life. She could tell he was passionate about this, and his eyes, beautiful green eyes that seemed to stare into her soul, seemed to be on fire. She had never really thought about stealing that way. She couldn't condone what he was doing, but she couldn't really say that he was doing a completely bad thing anymore. She remembered her life in the city, how she had stored many things in bins and never saw them again. Jill broke her eye contact with Skye and looked up at the moon once more.

"So... you do want to steal then?" Jill asked, "You seem pretty passionate about it." Skye blinked. He hadn't been expecting that. It was true that he was passionate about stealing. But, he did have a new love slowly creeping into his heart. Somehow, learning to cook curry provided a challenge that he had never even considered. He swiftly became a master of taste following old recipes, but after tasting some made by his close friends, he realized how diverse even one dish could become. Still...

"Stealing... I don't know." Skye said. For the first time, he felt completely honest about it. "You know, I started as a teenager. When you start so young, you're optimistic about the cause. You know you do it for the right reason and you think that there's nothing else you want to do for the rest of your life." Jill looked back to Skye. She knew how he felt. She had gone to college and gotten a degree in psychology. She had wanted to be a therapist for so long. But, when she graduated and looked back, she already felt unsure about where her life was headed. Shortly afterwards, her mother died. Her life hadn't been the same since. By some miracle, she had found her calling.

"What would you do if you didn't steal?" Jill asked, "I mean, there's got to be something else you like." Skye smiled. She was sucking answers out of him like a vacuum. Somehow, that was okay. He wanted to answer.

"I-" Skye stopped himself and blushed. Jill watched him curiously. This guy was so confident about thieving. She wondered what on earth could possibly make him blush. "I think I want to make curry." Jill blinked for a second, a smile breaking onto her face. Was he serious? Jill tried to imagine him cooking curry behind a kitchen counter. He would look good in a chef's hat.

"Really?" Jill smiled, "I don't mean to be rude but... that's quite the job switch." Skye laughed. He was glad he wasn't the only one who thought so.

"I know," Skye said, "But as it turns out, I'm really good at making curry. It smells fantastic and I've been doing a lot of tasting other people's dishes lately. They all say it's great, but... I still haven't found that one item it's missing. When I take a bite, it's mouth watering but... not quite there." Jill watched Skye speak about making curry and was astonished to see the same passion in his eyes. But, it was different somehow. It was a kinder sort of passion, an earnest will to do something different. He could change.

"Love," Jill answered, "You need to cook it with love." Jill looked down at her feet in the ocean water. It reminded her of simpler days with her family. She and Jack would play in the ocean and her mother and father would set up a picnic on the beach. Even though her mother would always make something simple, she made it with all of the love in the world. Jill had never tasted a better dish than those simple sandwiches they ate on the beach.

"Love.." Skye repeated, getting a feel for the word. It was a word he seldom thought of. When he had lost his mother and father, he had been completely drained of all the love they had given him over the years. His grandmother didn't even attempt to nurture him. She gave him a room and plenty of room to stay away from her. But, he had experienced glimpses of love. The love of friendship throughout school, the love of engagements in the streets of the city, the love of a parent to a child... "I think I get it now," Skye said distantly. Snapping back to reality, he grinned at Jill. "I'll try it and see how it goes. Maybe I'll cook some for you next time. I'm excited to see what you think." Jill gave an honest smile and nodded.

"I should probably get back now," Jill said, "I have to work pretty early in the morning." Skye nodded. He knew her schedule like the back of his hand. Not that she needed to know that. Skye smiled.

"I understand. I would walk you back, but on the off chance somebody's still awake," Skye paused, "There's no need for a good girl like you to be seen with a guy like me." Jill nodded and Skye waved, walking into town and out of the valley.

Jill walked back to her shoes and picked them up. Not wanting them to get sandy, Jill walked home barefoot, careful not to step on anything. What just happened? Did she actually become friends with a thief? No... she had become friends with Skye. Without another thought, Jill walked silently to her house and dropped her shoes in front of the door, falling asleep even before her head hit the pillow.


	8. You Can Lead a Horse to Water

You guys. T_T You guys have no idea yet.

* * *

The next season flew by before Jill could blink. Fall was coming to a close, and fast. Many things had happened that fall. Marlin had made his intentions clear towards her. It had happened on the 2nd of September, up at the spring. She agreed to be pursued romantically, but honestly told him that she didn't know how she felt. He said he would work hard. She laughed and said she would, too. Jill had also been talking to Skye. They had become quick friends, talking about everything from crime to curry. Her heart still fluttered every time she saw him coming to talk to her. With Marlin trying his best, Jill struggled as hard as she could to keep her feelings for Skye under wraps. He brought curry for her to try, just last week. It was incredible. She guessed he had found the love he was looking for.

Other events had happened through the month as well. Jill had eaten with the village at the harvest festival. She had been saving one of her largest mushrooms for the occasion. Jill quickly found another hiding place for her money, not wanting to carry it around. She had learned her lesson soon after coming to town. The first few times she had fainted, somebody had helped themselves to a 'delivery fee'. They always took a certain percent. After losing 7,000 dollars from being retrieved from the mine one day, Jill decided not to carry so much money around with her. Until recently she had been using the bank of Takakura, but she soon found a hiding place she was convinced even the best of thieves couldn't find. She had it all transferred. She never carried around more than she needed, which would only be the amount for three or four drinks at the bar when she decided to go. Oh yes, and her sheep 'Lila' had won the sheep festival just ten days ago. Lumina's wedding was on the second of December, only a few days away.

Jill sat alone on the beach, watching the reflection of the morning sun over the calming waves. The crisp, autumn breeze blew through her ponytail and sent a chill down her spine. She could feel the beginning of winter on the breeze like an ominous whisper. She was thinking about her chat with Skye up at the spring two nights ago, the very reason she was sitting on the beach waiting instead of watering her crops.

_"I... I don't think you should be so close with Marlin," Skye said, suddenly. Jill turned her head. How had the conversation come to this? They had just been talking about her sheep not too long ago. Was this really all he had wanted to talk about tonight?_

_"Why not?" Jill asked, "He's interested in me, and he's been my friend for so long. I don't think he could ever let me down. I'm making the right choice." Skye gave a sad smile, pulling in Jill's attention. Jill had gotten to know Skye over the past month, and as far as she knew he had never lied to her. He never had a reason to. Did he know something she didn't? _

_"Don't think I'm just saying this because I want you all to myself," Skye began, "but Celia likes Marlin now." Jill's eyes widened._

_"S-so?" Jill asked too quickly. Despite her efforts to shake the thought away, she knew what that would mean if it were true. Skye crossed his arms, frowning. He could read her emotions like a book._

_"I just don't want to see you get hurt," Skye sighed. Jill folded her hands, and the two looked at the peaceful surface of the pond in silence. Skye wasn't completely aware of it, but Jill was changing him in ways that he couldn't detect. He spent more time cooking than stealing, or even planning to steal. He started to value Jill's friendship over her fortune, but he would still take the money in a heartbeat. With that amount of money he could go far away, forget about this place and his past, and become a master of cooking curry. _

_"Marlin wouldn't do that." Jill said firmly. But even as the words came out of her mouth, she was unsure. If that were true..._

"_I think I could let you know for sure..." Skye said softly. Jill looked over at Skye curiously. What could he do that she couldn't do herself? Still... "But I'll only do it if you want to know." Jill looked up at the round moon above the spring. Was it okay to do something like this? Was it wrong to doubt someone that had been so faithful? She didn't want to doubt Marlin but... he had liked Celia for so long. For a long time, even during their friendship, Jill had always come second to Celia._

_"I want to know." Jill said, looking up at the moon. "What do I need to do?"_

Jill looked at her watch, her heart fluttering nervously. Part of what made her okay with Marlin pursuing her was that she knew she could trust him. After being friends with him so long, she found him to be trustworthy. It was true he wasn't the most charismatic person, and definitely not the most considerate. Sometimes he was emotionally unstable, though he seemed to be getting both physically and mentally stronger as the days went by. Marlin had many flaws, but arching over every personality trait he had was an undeniable three year embodiment of good intention towards her.

Jill stood up suddenly, making a beeline to Vesta's Farm. She couldn't wait any longer. She didn't know what she wanted to see more: proof that Skye was wrong, or proof that Marlin wasn't acting on Celia's affection. She didn't want to be hurt, but this could be a defining moment in her relationship with Marlin. It could prove he was serious about her even when Celia finally started to like him. If he wasn't serious... there was no way around it. Jill loved him. She loved Marlin more than anything in the valley. More than her cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, pets, crops, and friends in the valley. She treasured Marlin's friendship and she.. loved him. She had tried to hold back as much as she could, but she couldn't anymore. She didn't want to get hurt, but she was in love.

Jill started to jog, and then picked up to a run. She couldn't get there fast enough. Jill stopped at the bridge, and looked across. Just as Skye had said, Vesta, Celia, and Marlin were standing in front of their house, quietly talking about something. She didn't know whether to be thrilled or afraid of Skye's ability to plan ahead. Jill walked across the bridge, determined to find out what Skye's plan was to show her who Marlin would choose. Feigning her best look of curiosity, Jill walked towards the group with as normal a pace as possible. Marlin looked up and saw Jill headed their way. He rubbed the back of his head and looked at the note, quickly telling Vesta that Jill was coming. Vesta nodded and then turned around with the note in her hand. Celia, frightened and confused, stood closer than she usually did to Marlin. Marlin noticed, and tried his best to step away without Celia noticing. Jill walked up to the group, almost too aware of how close Marlin and Celia stood together. Putting her doubts aside, Jill smiled like she normally would.

"Is something going on?" Jill asked, looking at all three of them. Vesta looked at Marlin, and Marlin nodded back.

"We just got a note from the Phantom Thief," Vesta frowned angrily, "He's coming to steal some of our prize-winning crops!" Jill blinked. Skye was coming to steal... crops? If Jill hadn't gotten to know him so well, something like this wouldn't have been out of character. Before he was her friend, she thought the guy would steal anything valuable he could get his hands on. Now she knew that he only stole things that were high in price and appealed to a very specific group of people, otherwise he ran the risk of gaining too much attention. Besides, he would have to steal two harvests worth to make this theft worth the trouble.

"That's terrible!" Jill frowned, crossing her arms, "He can't expect to get away with this!" Marlin nodded in agreement, and Vesta held the note in the air, crushing it in her strong fist.

"Damn straight he won't get away with this!" Vesta growled angrily, "Nobody messes with Vesta's Crops!" Marlin walked over to Vesta and put his hand on her shoulder, which seemed to calm her down. "But, there's way too much ground to cover with only three people. We could be ambushed easily if we all had to split up like that. I know it seems like a hassle, but could you help us? With all four of us, we could probably catch him and put him away for good!"

"Absolutely!" Jill cried immediately, "When do I need to be here?" Celia looked up at Jill and smiled.

"Just before midnight." Celia replied. Jill felt something a little colder in Celia's voice than normal. Her face was kind, but her voice was cold. It was like she was happy for the help, but not so happy that the help came from her. Marlin looked down at Celia strangely, and Jill wondered if he caught it too. Vesta was still steaming from the injustice of having her crops stolen. Jill nodded in reply.

"I'll be here." Jill said with determination, "We'll catch him this time." Marlin, seizing the opportunity to step away from Celia, walked over to Jill.

"This time?" Marlin asked, "What do you mean 'this time'?" Jill looked over at Marlin and realized that he had never heard about the incident at the bar. Why had she not told him about it? Usually she told Marlin everything. But, when it came to Skye, Marlin had no clue. Skye had since become her friend, and in this situation, an ally. That meant Marlin knew nothing about half of her life. Was she really incapable of having both of them in her life at one time?

"Muffy and Griffin got a note from Phantom Skye about four months ago," Jill sighed, "They asked me to help out, but he got away." Marlin nodded and slipped his hands in his pockets. Jill felt like he was awfully distant today. Or maybe she was just letting her imagination run away with her. She couldn't let that happen. She wanted everything between her and Marlin to work out. She wanted to help Skye realize that he didn't have to steal, but he wasn't the type of person she saw herself spending the rest of her life with. Marlin was... Maybe she felt more strongly about Marlin than she realized.

"Well, we'll get to our watering," Vesta said, slipping the note in her pocket, "Come as close as you can to midnight so we can be sure to catch him." Jill nodded and smiled.

"I still have to take care of the animals. I'm glad I decided to take a detour today." Jill said with a laugh. Celia smiled and Marlin nodded. Jill waved goodbye and turned around, feeling odd. What was Skye thinking? He didn't want to underestimate somebody like Vesta. She was a no nonsense sort of lady. He couldn't charm his way out of a corner with her. How far was he willing to go just to test Marlin? Jill still had no clue how anything about this situation could prove who Marlin really had feelings for. Jill quickly walked away, Marlin staring after her. She was acting strangely today...

Jill finished taking care of all of her animals and crops around 5:00. Shortly after her nightly double-check, Jill went inside to cook supper. As she'd promised Skye, she also made her favorite kind of curry for him to try at the Spring after the ordeal. The curry had taken awhile to make, and it smelled so good she wanted to replace it with her own supper. For some reason, she was just hopeful enough to gain Skye's approval, and just lazy enough not to attempt making it twice in a row. Jill slipped the curry inside of her bag and turned on the TV, hoping to drive away the nervousness in the pit of her stomach. It was 9:00... what was going to happen?

Marlin finished the watering for the day. Slowly, his strength was coming back. He didn't get sick as often anymore, and he found he could do a lot more work than he could just three months ago when Jill encouraged him. It was all thanks to her that he was doing better. He didn't have the strength that he had before, but if he kept working and kept healthy, he felt that he could return to the way he was. Sighing, Marlin looked over towards Jill's farm. He couldn't get her look out of his face when Vesta had announced the thief was coming. The first emotion wasn't the shock, but confusion. As if she couldn't imagine the thief wanting to go after crops. Marlin could understand her logic, and he was glad she was coming to help. Despite all of that, he couldn't help but wonder what the thief was up to. He remembered the thief coming to announce that he would steal Jill's heart. As far in as he was now, Marlin couldn't imagine anything that could get in the way... nothing that that thief could control anyway. He did wonder if Jill knew about Celia acting strangely. If anything would tear them apart, it would be Celia, not some thief. He was committed to Jill, but now that Celia was starting to notice him, he wondered if he could keep that commitment without some sort of temptation. Wiping his brow, Marlin walked to the house for dinner. This, he felt, was going to be a long night.

Jill entered Vesta's Farmhouse just before midnight. Vesta, Marlin, and Celia were waiting patiently for her arrival. Jill looked at Marlin, and Marlin looked back. There was something between them that couldn't be spoken, a strong bond that had formed from years of nurture as friends, and now as more. Looking into his eyes, Jill knew that everything would be alright. He would pull through for her. Everybody stepped outside, ready to move.

"Maybe we should split up. We could use some sort of game plan," Celia said, looking to Vesta earnestly, "This farm is pretty huge." Vesta and Marlin nodded, and Jill looked around. She hadn't realized it lately, but the farm really was huge. How did they manage all of this every day? It probably helped that they didn't have 28 animals to take care of. Still, they all must have been pretty strong.

"We have two sections of fields," Vesta explained to Jill, "Celia isn't feeling well today, so she and Marlin will take the smaller field. You and I will take the larger field." Jill nodded and walked towards the larger field in the cold autumn air. Vesta followed closely behind, and Celia and Marlin left for their own field afterward. There was something odd about this night. She knew the theft was a sham, but she was still tense. She knew that Marlin would come through. She knew how much Marlin cared for her. He wouldn't let her down... but how could he even have the choice to let her down? Could Skye see into the future? There wasn't even a possibility.

Jill looked back at Marlin briefly. He was walking side by side with Celia to the greenhouses and the small field. She knew that he had his heart in the right place, but she couldn't help but think they looked so natural together. Jill turned back and walked with Vesta to the large field. What was Skye planning to do?

"I'll be on the far end," Vesta said to Jill, "just holler if you see him." Jill nodded, and Vesta moved to the far end of the field. Jill waited for what seemed like forever. She monitored seriously, as if Skye would sneak up on her at any moment. Finally, after half an hour of waiting, Skye started walking into her row.

"Vesta!" Jill shouted, "He's here!" Skye stopped in his tracks and gave a devilish smile. Well, in her defense, he had told her to act like she normally would. Still, giving away his position so easily was never a good sign. Vesta came charging down the field, and Skye reached calmly into his pocket. Jill saw it, and her eyes widened. Skye shook his head only enough for Jill to see. Jill blinked and said nothing.

"You!" Vesta shouted, "Get your grimy paws off of my veggies!" Skye laughed, pushing his hair out of his face. He bowed quickly and turned his charm all the way up.

"Skye, if you please," Skye smiled, "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I don't suppose you could point me out to the prize winners, could you? This field seems about average." Vesta clenched her fists. Jill flinched away from Vesta. She was one scary lady when she was angry. Jill also knew that Skye had no clue when it came to crops. Every crop in this field was perfectly ripe.

"You'll never get my crops!" Vesta yelled, "You're going to regret ever sending that note!" Skye kept his smile, calming his annoyance. He gave a tense laugh before sighing.

"Oh Vesta," Skye said, "You have such beautiful features. You shouldn't ruin them with such raw anger." Vesta's face turned red and her entire body tensed as if she were a bull about to charge.

"You... You! Why I oughta-" Vesta growled. Skye pulled out his chick beam before she could take another step. Taken by surprise, Vesta stopped in her tracks. Jill stepped forward.

"Please, stop stealing!" Jill shouted at Skye. Skye was surprised for a moment. He didn't expect her to actually say anything. But, that look in her eyes... was she serious? After all of the explanations and conversations, she still wanted nothing more than for him to stop. Skye chuckled.

"Are you... concerned about me?" Skye asked, "How cute." Skye blushed and gave Jill a wink. Jill gasped and stepped back again. "Chick-Beam, FIRE!" Skye shouted, eyes filled with determination as he shot both Vesta and Jill. Vesta was shocked, and Jill was mildly annoyed. This was his plan? Jill had no idea where he was going with this. Was he really here to steal crops? Well, he only said he had a plan. If he didn't let on that it was an actual theft, it was her own fault for misinterpreting. Still, knowing that she had an appointment with him up at the spring directly after this, she knew he had to have something else in mind. Friends didn't ditch friends, no matter what the occupation.

"W-What's happening!?" Vesta yelled, "I can't move!" Skye smirked. That was his cue. The others would be coming this direction.

"If you'll excuse me, lovely ladies," Skye winked, and ran down the row into the night. Vesta struggled against the spell, but it was no use. Jill just sighed, saving her energy. She had yet to see Marlin tonight, let alone a definite answer of who he would choose. But, Jill felt herself turning. Her body moved on its own to a place where she was hidden by the crops but could still see through.

Jill saw Marlin and Celia block Skye's path in front of the house. Jill's breath hitched. This was it. Skye knew that she and Vesta were frozen outside, and soon Marlin would know it, too. Maybe he would test how soon Marlin would come out for her. It was a good test. Jill relaxed as much as she could as she witnessed the scene unfold before her eyes.

"Wow," Skye said aloud, "I seem pretty popular tonight."

"S-Stop right there!" Celia said, failing at being intimidating. Skye giggled.

"You know," Skye smiled, "being cornered by such beautiful ladies is a curse of mine. Of course, I don't mind the touching so much." Marlin clenched his fists.

"Hey! Back off, pretty boy!" Marlin shouted. Skye frowned.

"Huh. I don't want to be caught by a man. Where's the mystique in that?" Skye sighed and pulled out his chick beam. "CHICK-BEAM, FIRE!" Skye shouted, freezing Celia in place. Celia gasped. Marlin turned to her, surprised.

"Celia, what's wrong?" Marlin asked. Celia laughed nervously.

"I... I can't move." Celia replied. Skye gave a devilish half smile.

"You'll be able to move soon," Skye replied. Then, he purposely turned to Marlin. "Oh yes, your sister and your girlfriend are out in the large field. Still frozen. My beam was on full charge for them, so it might take awhile for them to move. You uh, might want to rescue them before I decide to do it myself." Skye winked, and walked off, leaving Marlin with a frozen Celia. Marlin looked towards the field that Jill was in, and then to Celia.

"I'll take you inside, and come out for them." Marlin said. Celia smiled. Marlin walked to the door and opened it. He picked Celia up and placed her inside in front of the window. Marlin started to leave the house, but Celia called out to him.

"Wait!" Celia said. Marlin turned around. "C-can you stay until I'm unfrozen?" Celia asked, "I'm afraid that the thief will come back." Marlin looked out of the door and then closed it. Jill frowned. So he wasn't afraid of Skye coming to get her, then? Maybe he would be out as soon as Celia could move. Jill waited, feeling her own limbs come back to life. She heard Vesta start walking out of the field down the path. Marlin would come charging out soon. Jill walked closer to the railing. They were talking about something, but it was too quiet for Jill to hear. She could see Celia moving again. Why wasn't Marlin coming out? Vesta was still at the end of the large field. What was so important that Marlin still wasn't outside. Celia turned. She was completely unfrozen...

"I like you." Celia whispered, looking up at Marlin. Marlin looked down at her, shocked. The words he had wanted to hear for so long came out of her mouth. Marlin felt his heart pound in his chest.

"I..." Marlin averted his eyes, "I have to go get Jill." Celia's eyes widened, and Marlin found himself stuck in her gaze once more.

"Please... won't you stay?"

Jill saw everything through the window. Celia's shadow reached her arms around Marlin's and pulled it close. Jill's eyes widened as Marlin leaned down and Celia stood up, their shadows melding together as one. Vesta opened the door to her house, Marlin and Celia breaking apart. Vesta was surprised, and Marlin and Celia looked at her strangely. Finally, Vesta laughed. She had been working on getting them together for years. It was finally happening. Celia blushed, but Marlin looked at the window. If Vesta was unfrozen... He quickly slipped past Vesta and out the door just in time to see Jill run up to the spring.

"Shit." Marlin said to himself. He went back inside, grabbed his coat, and burst out the door once again. He ran across the bridge with steady feet and started the journey up the hill as fast as he could.

Jill hadn't stopped running since Vesta had opened the door. She ran as fast as she could up to the spring, knowing that Skye was waiting. She didn't want to disappoint a friend. When she arrived, Skye was standing with his hands in his pockets, staring at the moon. He turned around when he heard her footsteps running towards him. He gave a smile, and Jill panted in reply.

"I'm not... too... late..." Jill panted, "Am I?" Jill tried to catch her breath. She had run harder than she had in a long time. Skye walked up to her, confused. Something was wrong. He could see it in her face. She was trying too hard to be normal.

"No... I was expecting you to be gone for awhile," Skye admitted, "Why'd you come here so fast?" Jill saw the silhouettes again in her mind and she shook her head.

"Wrong... choice..." Jill panted. Skye looked at her, confused. What did she mean, wrong choice? Had Marlin taken Celia in first? Skye had expected as much, but that wouldn't make Jill run all the way up to the Spring afterwards. That would have just introduced some doubt into her mind. It would have made her question if Marlin still liked Celia but... Jill felt the tears just behind her eyes. Her throat was closing. She couldn't cry now, not in front of Skye. She wouldn't... "Wrong... he made the... the wrong..." Jill stopped panting, her sentences choppy for a different reason. Skye put his hands on Jill's shoulders. She couldn't breathe. Jill dropped to her knees on the hard dirt path, her hand over her heart. "He... he-" Skye put a finger to Jill's lips and knelt down. He helped her stand up. The first tear fell.

Skye wiped away the tear and looked into her eyes. Jill saw concern as he wiped away another tear. Skye hugged her close and Jill sobbed into his chest. The tears didn't seem to end. She hadn't cried about anything in four years. She thought that she had run out of tears after her mother had died. She had sworn to herself that she'd be careful, that she wouldn't attach herself to anyone too tightly. Somehow, Marlin had slipped through the cracks of friendship and taught her to hope in something stronger. She had been guarded, careful to convince herself that it wasn't love so that if something were to happen, the tears could stay locked away. She had made so many excuses. It wasn't love because it wasn't passionate, or it wasn't love because she was unsure. But she had been sure the entire time. She had loved Marlin as a friend, as a best friend, and as somebody who was willing to be there for her for the rest of her life. But, the tears hadn't stayed away. No, they fell even harder. Here they were, falling freely only to be caught by a leopard print shirt of an unexpected friend.

Skye rested his chin on top of her head as she sobbed, holding her not as a lovely maiden or under some false pretense, but as a friend who had been hurt. He had never hurt anybody on accident before. He couldn't hold all the blame, but he had set everything up. What had gone wrong? He had missed something while he was planning... was it, perhaps, Celia's affection towards Marlin? He hadn't figured she would do anything too forward, even if she liked the guy. Perhaps he had been wrong. He had made a mistake, and that mistake had one of his friends crying inconsolably in his arms. Skye just closed his eyes and held her close. What had Marlin done? Even if Celia had made a move, he would have backed out of it... right? Apparently not. Skye may have been the one who set it up, but he wasn't about to forgive Marlin for breaking his friend's heart. Jill opened his eyes to see Marlin peeking around the corner. When had he arrived? Skye glared at Marlin, and Marlin stared back.

_'Did he set all of this up?'_ Marlin thought to himself, _'I could kill him. It was all a plot to get me out of the picture!'_ But, Marlin couldn't force himself to confront Skye. Even if he had set it up, he hadn't forced Celia to kiss him. There was no way he could have controlled that. Marlin just watched Jill hold onto Skye for dear life. He couldn't face her right now. Marlin thought that she didn't have romantic feelings for him. She even told him that she hadn't. Then again, he thought Jill had been frozen when Celia had wrapped her arms around his neck. If he was willing to do that, did he like Jill as much as he thought he did? As Marlin watched Jill sob uncontrollably, he wondered how much of what she said had been true. Marlin looked up at the thief who was glaring at him. Marlin narrowed his eyes and turned back towards his farm, accepting defeat. He would explain it to her in the morning, when the thief wasn't around to steal her good opinion of him away.

Jill sobbed into Skye's chest for two hours. By the time she was done, she was exhausted. Skye caught her just as she was about to collapse. Silently, he picked her up in his arms, her head resting in the crook of his neck, and he walked her home. No 'delivery fee' needed.


	9. Clean It Up

Hey guys! Holidays, huh? Anywho, before I start rambling about the social ramifications of a large family holiday, I have a news update! I'm resuming classes this semester, so I'll be regularly updating on the weekends, usually Saturday or maybe on Sunday if I'm a little late updating. I'll be writing every week, so make sure to get excited! =) I start classes the 13th, so I'll update as much as humanly possible until then.

Also, thank you all so much for your comments! I enjoy reading every one of them and I hope that you'll keep reading! If you notice something that's off or if you notice any plot holes, please message me about them (because I obviously didn't notice). Without further ado, chapter 9!

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After tucking Jill into bed, Skye made his way back to his home, his heart stirring inside of him. He had managed to slip the curry she had made for him out of her rucksack, but he didn't dare try it. He still felt the farmer's head against his shoulder. The warmth of her bitter tears was scarred onto his chest, the pain of potentially losing everything transferred from one being to another. Skye frowned something still didn't feel right. His long legs carried him up out of the valley as he tried to think about what it was. Maybe, when you spent time with a person, your feelings for them started to grow. You started to think of them as more than just a body. The body was a shell that held all of the beautiful hopes and dreams you could ever wish to know. Inside that shell, past the hopes and dreams, there was a heart and a soul that beat and moved just like his own. Skye felt his heart racing when he thought of the hurt on her face. He remembered the tears on his chest and how he had to support her just so that she could stand on her own two feet. She was... beautiful. Not just her face, but her personality and her soul. As he stood her up and wiped away her tears, he had witnessed somebody's spirit break for the first time... the very thing that he avoided every single time he stole an important or sentimental item from somebody.

Skye turned onto the obscure pathway and quickly turned off of it. His steps were mechanical by this point. His feet knew where to go, even though his mind was preoccupied. He had seen and felt someone else's heart break for the first time. He had suffered heartbreak many times before. When his parents died, when his grandmother showed no love, when his 'friends' all disappeared... Skye's heart had become a stone. He became a master of flattery without meaning a single word. He had learned that it was him against the world. Everyone around him would chew him up and spit him out if he trusted them. So, he became a chewer, capable of cracking teeth if anyone even tried to chew him up again. Skye reached out for his door handle and walked inside, turning on the lamp by the door. A soft, dull light filled the shack, exposing countless papers and plans. Skye set the curry on top of his papers and sat down. He didn't know what to expect. Skye took off his shirt and threw it towards the corner, hoping that he wouldn't be able to feel the tears anymore. He was wrong.

Skye picked up a spoon and put it into the curry. He scooped up a small amount and put it into his mouth thoughtfully. It was delicious. Skye dipped his spoon in again, taking a more generous amount. Slipping it into his mouth, he felt his heart flutter inside of his chest. Was this what love could do to his cooking? It wasn't the best curry he had tasted, but it was outstanding for someone who admitted she was far from a professional chef. Skye finished the dish with a bitter smile on his face. How could he possibly be happy about eating it when the girl who had made it for him was in such distress over a different guy? Usually he didn't go into town the day after a heist, but maybe eating something warm at the end of a long day would make her feel better. So, putting the dirty dish on his counter, Skye decided that he would try to cook with love tomorrow... for her.

Skye turned off his lamp and walked through the dark to his bed. Slipping out of his pants, he crawled in bed and pulled the covers over his head. He managed to calm his mind and his heart long enough to slip into a long sleep. But, as he was fading into the darkness of sleep, he was almost sure he felt her right beside him, still holding on for dear life. Finally, what he had been hiding from himself was revealed when he realized... he was holding on for dear life, too.

...

Jill woke up to a swift knocking at her door. Disoriented, she was confused. She swore that someone had been holding her just a few moments ago. It had probably been a dream. Glancing over at her clock, she winced. Though the sun shone brightly into her house, she had managed to sleep in until 10:00. Rubbing her eyes, Jill sluggishly walked to the door through the hazy memories of last night. Lowering her hand to the door, she slowly opened the door. Marlin stood with his hand raised, as if to start another round of incessant knocking. Suddenly, Jill felt as though she were naked under the bright light of the sun. The bags under her eyes and her wrinkled outfit from last night's fiasco screamed that she had been the victim of long awaited admitted love being snatched and shredded to pieces in a single moment. Her hair was a tangled mess from the tears that had soaked into her pillow; it hung over her shoulders, admitting defeat before Marlin. Marlin opened his mouth to say something, and Jill quickly shut her door.

"Hey!" Marlin said, "Come on! At least let me explain!" Jill watched her door, mind racing. What was he doing here? Had he seen her with Skye? Had the kiss been some kind of fluke? No... no kiss was a fluke. You had to feel something. Jill wondered if she was more angry about Marlin kissing Celia, or the fact that he had taken so long to even think of kissing herself. Jill clenched her fists, trying her hardest not to say anything that she would regret later. But, it was building. The anger and the sadness seemed to fuel each other, a dangerous whirlwind of emotion wreaking havoc in her soul. "Jill?" Marlin asked. Jill still stared at the door, wondering if she had the patience to stand and listen to an explanation she might not even believe. She thought of the nature of trust. It was silly... but somehow she trusted the thief more than she trusted Marlin. It was because she had learned to trust Skye from the initial distrust. After the test of time, Skye had proven that his actions were justified. Jill had blindly trusted Marlin from the moment she met him. She thought she could... until now. Trust was incredibly difficult to build, but broken within seconds.

Jill hardened her resolve and slowly opened the door. She refused to be pitied. She would be strong, and confident. She didn't need him to be there for her if he didn't want to. Maybe Celia was better suited for him after all. Marlin visibly relaxed as Jill opened the door again. She looked terrible. Had it really affected her that much? Why had he been so stupid? Marlin quickly wrapped his arms around Jill and hugged her close. Jill's breath hitched, her hardened resolve fading. She didn't want to cry... she thought she was all cried out from last night. But as she felt Marlin's warm arms around her, she realized how afraid she had been that they would have never embraced her again.

"I'm sorry." Marlin said, Jill listened, her heart melting. "I thought about what I was going to say all night. I couldn't sleep. I thought about using excuses and thinking about what was wrong with me. But... all I can really say is 'I'm sorry.'. There's no excuse good enough to forgive me. I did it. I kissed Celia, even though I'm with you." Marlin let Jill go, and Jill looked up at Marlin. He was so sincere... but could she really forgive him? He said he was sorry. But how many times would it happen? How many times could she go through something similar or even worse before she couldn't forgive him anymore? Two? Three? Four? Ten? "But Jill," Marlin pleaded, "If you forgive me this one time, if you still want me, it won't happen again. I can't imagine hurting you again. I felt sick when I saw you running away. I went after you but, I was worried... that it would hurt you. If I hurt you again... I think my heart might have given up."

Jill's lip quivered. She wasn't going to cry. She wouldn't let him back in so easily. Her trust had been broken but... she still had so much faith in him. He could get better. She had just spent the past three years seeing him grow. Despite having kissed someone else, Jill still had hope that he was sincere. Her head screamed at her heart. Nothing made sense. Her head wanted her to send him marching, but her heart said no. Jill reached out to Marlin and cried on his chest.

"One more." Jill mumbled through her tears. Marlin softly wrapped his arms around her. He understood. He had one more chance. He wouldn't blow it this time. He had a million excuses for kissing Celia. Really, it had come so fast his brain didn't even have time to think about what was happening. He explained his relationship with Jill to both Vesta and Celia over breakfast. It was safe to say Celia wouldn't try anything anytime soon. Celia wasn't bold enough to blatantly flirt with somebody who was in a relationship, even if she did like him. She was too kind to hurt Jill that way. Maybe if Jill had never reached out and touched out his heart, he would have ended up with Celia. He wouldn't have minded. But now that Jill was in his life, he felt like a completely new person. Seeing her look his way made his heart race. Everywhere he looked, the world was filled with color. It was as if she had revived him from a never-ending dream in black and white. She made up every color that he saw. Her laugh was in the wind, her soft whispers rustled through the trees, and her vibrant spirit was the sun. He was forever ruined for any other girl, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I still feel pretty bad..." Marlin sighed, "I didn't think you'd forgive me so easily." Jill gave a thick laugh through her tears, and Marlin wiped them away. "I got the day off from the farm. I'd be happy to help here for a day." Jill gave a smile, and she relaxed. Marlin had kissed Celia. The fact was indisputable. But, he chose her. Was this love? Jill honestly didn't know. All she knew was that the new tears that were falling weren't nearly as bitter as the ones she had let fall just hours before.

"You sure you can keep up?" Jill challenged jokingly, "Don't think I've forgiven you all the way yet. We'll see how you feel after a day's work on the ranch."

Marlin chuckled, glad to see Jill was more herself. He knew that she had forgiven him. That didn't mean he wasn't going to work his hardest to make up for it. And so, after a long day of watering crops, petting and brushing animals, and goofing around with Jill, Marlin found himself both guilty and forgiven. Jill had been watching him out of the corner of her eye all day. She joked with him and watched him interact with her animals. They liked him. As they completed all of her work in half the time, Jill and Marlin grew closer to understanding each other. Marlin understood that Jill liked him much more than she would ever say. Jill realized that living like this every day would be paradise, and that Marlin might be the only person who could ever provide that for her.

Together, they leaned on the back of her house, each with a glass of water in hand as they watched the sun drop further beyond the horizon. The sleepy sun cast relaxing orange and red light across her crops and animals, the last of the crickets of the season chirping quietly. They stood together, not saying a word. They didn't need to. What had been broken had been mended by faith. Jill looked at Marlin as purple hues started to replace the vibrant oranges and reds. Was this love? It was a kind of love. But, was it the love she was looking for? Before he had come to apologize, Jill thought she would be okay living without him. There was a difference between a stubborn thought and reality. She no longer had to wonder if she could live without him, because he was standing right beside her, mystified by the elegant transformation from evening to night. If she made the final leap and spent the rest of her life with Marlin, would she look back? Would she be happy, or would she constantly wonder what would have happened if she had waited until she was absolutely sure she had found love?

"Well," Jill sighed, looking up to the nearly full moon, "I guess you're forgiven. Do you want to go for a drink?" Marlin chuckled.

"Is the sky blue?" Marlin asked in reply. Jill smiled and took Marlin's glass.

"Go ahead to the bar," Jill smiled, "I'm going to put some things away." Marlin nodded and Jill watched him walk away with a smile. Even though he had messed up, she really did appreciate the help with her work. Had she really slept until 10? She hadn't slept in so long since her mother died. She would sleep until noon regularly when she found out about her mother's death. This was different. Unlike when her mother died, she slept until 10 because she was comfortable... like she could finally rest completely for the first time in a long time. Which begged the question... what was Skye to her really? She had a feeling she would find out soon... she had to find out soon. Marlin was in this relationship for the long run now. Even though he had just hurt her, she didn't want to be the kind of person who wasn't satisfied until she hurt him worse. She loved Marlin. She didn't want to hurt him ever. But, if she was going to hurt him at all, she would rather it be sooner than later.

Jill walked into her house without turning the lights on and placed the glasses in her sink. Suddenly, she heard her door open. She turned around quickly and saw Skye's shadow standing in the doorway with a dish of curry. She remembered the curry she was supposed to give him last night, but seeing the dish in his hand, she assumed he had gotten it. Jill relaxed. At least he wasn't here to steal anything. She doubted he would steal anything from her now, but it was still a possibility, no matter how good of a friend he was. Skye laughed.

"The lights were off..." Skye smiled, "I didn't actually expect anyone to be inside." Jill scratched her head. She didn't lock her door in the evenings. Usually she didn't think twice about it, but she started to wonder what other kinds of people could just waltz into her house when she wasn't inside. Maybe it was Murrey that had been sneaking the grapes from her fridge. That would explain quite a bit. She knew she wasn't crazy.

"Thank you..." Jill said, "For last night." Skye turned on the light, a confused look on his face.

"How did you-" Skye stopped himself and thought for a moment before replying. "Oh, the over-sized handkerchief and the home delivery? No problem. I might not be the most pleasant person in the world, but loyalty is the only moral law I won't break." Skye winked and walked over to Jill. Jill laughed and reply and took the dish from Skye's hand. She looked inside.

"There's curry in here.." Jill said, "Did you not eat it?" Skye laughed.

"I ate it. It was delicious!" Skye smiled, "You cooked with love for me. I'm just here to return the favor." Jill looked down and smiled. She knew Marlin was probably waiting for her, but this wouldn't take long. It wasn't very often you got to eat something like this. Jill picked up a fork and dipped it into the dish, bringing it up to her nose. It smelled delicious. It made her mouth water in anticipation. She opened her mouth and savored the flavor. This time, there was something more than flavor. As far as she was concerned, he succeeded.

"Wow..." Jill whispered, setting the dish on the counter. Skye chuckled.

"So, what do you think?" Skye pressed, "Did I do it?"

"Skye..." Jill said, "Why do you steal at all? You could be a professional chef easily!" Skye smirked and scratched his head. He was starting to wonder the same thing. If he managed to pull off this one last heist, he would have plenty of money to cross the world and become a world renowned chef. Sure, he would feel guilty at first, but she would have enough money from her crops to start from scratch. It's not like she was going to use that money anyway. He would be able to change his life completely, doing something that he enjoyed. He would be someone who brought joy instead of chaos... surely a friend wouldn't mind sacrificing for another friend.

"You really think so?" Skye asked, "I guess I do have love in my heart after all." Jill grinned. Skye internally winced. He didn't like thinking about stealing from her. If he was going to do it, it would have to be soon. Befriending her to this level had already been a mistake. Affection towards your target always made things complicated.

"So, what did you think about when you made this?"

Skye was silent. He didn't think she'd ask something like that. For once, he didn't know what she wanted to hear. Even if he did know, he wasn't sure he wanted to say. He did write a note... he was always better at explaining things smoothly in writing. Truthfully, without rehearsal, he wasn't all that smooth.

"I was thinking about..." Skye smiled sadly, "the way you cried and held onto me. Right then, I held you up and let you cry on my favorite shirt. Even though I held you and wiped away your tears, you cried harder and harder until you couldn't even stand. I was thinking that if I made a curry with enough love, you would stop crying and smile. I thought that if I could make you smile with this curry, even if I had to make it every day for the rest of my life, I would be able to smile, too." Jill felt her heart flutter inside of her chest. What was this feeling?

"You thought about... me?" Jill asked, "You love me?" Skye's face turned bright red.

"W-what?" Skye asked, "N-no! I mean... I like you. I really, really like you. I would do anything just to make sure you don't cry like that again. I would be there to catch you every time you fall, but I never want to feel that helpless again. Jill watched Skye stumble through his explanation. Had she caught him off-guard? Skye was cute when he didn't know what to say. Jill smiled and stood on her tip-toes to kiss Skye on the cheek.

"Thank you," Jill smiled, "For cheering me up. Marlin apologized earlier today and helped me with my chores. Then you appear with the most fantastic curry the world has ever known. I guess I should cry more often!" Jill slipped Skye's curry in the fridge and smiled. "I'm going to the bar. I know you can't come, but Marlin's waiting for me." Jill patted Skye on the shoulder and then left Skye behind. She shut the door behind her and paused, her heart racing. She quickly continued, trusting Skye to turn off her lights and leave. This was bad. This was very bad. She didn't think Skye realized it, but she had just fallen in love. "No, no.." Jill whispered, "Love doesn't happen like that... does it? That's stupid. I can't just be won over with words can I?" But it wasn't just the words. It was the love through his actions, his thoughts, his smile... how could the Goddess let this happen? After all the time she'd spent learning to love and forgive Marlin, things with Skye seemed to be working out at the drop of a hat. How could this happen?

Skye blinked as Jill quickly left her house. He scratched his head and sighed.

"Was it something I said? I'm not used to confessing to girls... usually it's the other way around." Skye mumbled lightly to himself before shutting off the light. He was about to leave, but he realized he didn't want to leave just yet. Skye looked around, not as a thief or a friend, but as an observer. The house was too large for just one person. She had to be lonely all by herself here. Was she planning on getting married?

Just for fun, Skye tried to imagine what marriage and starting a family would be like with her. Both of them had dead parents, which means their children would never know their grandparents. Skye's grandmother, if still alive, would probably see Skye as an unfit father and would try to forcibly take them from him. Marlin would probably constantly try to nail him with one crime or another. Jill would look only at him, and he was sure their children would be beautiful. Would they take after him or her? He hoped they would take after her. He reminded himself too much of his own father... he didn't want such sad memories to stir up inside of him every time he looked his son or daughter in the eyes. If any major authority found him, he would likely spend the remainder of his life in jail or in hiding once he escaped, leaving a devastated wife and a child who knew they would never see their father again. With him, life would be difficult and dangerous. Sure, there were ways he could get around all of these things, but was it really worth the risk? If Jill would smile at him every day despite constant hardship, would her smile always be so bright? Her smile, like the world around him, would probably slowly fade into a thin lipped effort to hide the pain that their love was supposed to cover up.

But maybe, it wouldn't be like that. Maybe Skye would cook for her every day, and she would take care of the farm. They would wake up together every morning, and go to sleep together every night. They would admire the nature around them and talk about everything that they knew and thought. Maybe they'd become an inseparable team that hardship could never part. Maybe, after sixty years together, they would still look at each other the day they got married and not regret a single moment. Maybe... Skye never acted on a maybe. He carefully planned every action ahead of time, knowing what one person would or wouldn't do. But this was different. He was starting to think that 'Maybe' could work out.

Skye shook his head and laughed nervously. What was he thinking? He was going to steal Jill's money from right under her nose, and here he was thinking about marrying her. Marlin would be better for her in the long run, anyway. Even though it was apparent she had no passion with Marlin, the love she felt for him was real. After Skye took Jill's money, he would be able to move on. He would put all of this behind him and become a new person with a new life. Maybe he would meet someone nice and settle down halfway across the world from where his heart would still flutter every time he remembered becoming a lifeboat in an ocean of bitter tears for the person he cared for most. It was okay. She was better off without someone like Marlin, anyway. Skye opened the door and closed it behind him, standing in the cold night air. Normally he would have looked for the money, but as he glanced up at the moon trying to figure out the best course of action, he didn't feel quite as enthusiastic as when he'd started.

Marlin had been waiting for about ten minutes before Jill finally walked into the bar. He instantly knew that something was wrong. She had been joking around with him just fifteen minutes ago. Did something happen? Jill walked up to the stool beside Marlin and gave him half a smile, a weak attempt to hide the fact that she was more focused on her thoughts than on him. Marlin wondered what could have happened in ten minutes that would have changed her mood so drastically. Maybe she had to chase one of those wild dogs off of her property again. She was never really happy after they tried going after her chickens.

"Griffin," Marlin said, looking to the seasoned bartender, "A drink for the lady." Griffin grunted in reply, and quickly mixed her up a drink he'd made called 'A Breath of Fresh Air'. She looked like she needed one. Jill closed her eyes and put her face in her hands. What was she going to do? After all of this time, after all that she'd gone through... Why? Why had Skye stumbled into her life? If he had just stayed away, she would have been content with spending her life with Marlin. She would have loved him the best she could, because she wouldn't have had the opportunity to love someone else. If Skye hadn't spent time with her, hadn't kissed her, hadn't liked her... Jill stood up quickly.

"I'm sorry Marlin," Jill said, "I have something to do. Rain check on the drinks, okay?" Without even waiting for a response, Jill quickly ran out of the bar.

If Skye hadn't come into her life, she never would have had a reason to doubt Marlin. She ran to the entrance of her farm, seeing Skye leaning against her house and looking at the moon, just opposite of where she had leaned earlier. The moonlight lit his skin, and surrounded him in the beautiful glow of night. If Skye hadn't stood at the spring, night by night, looking at the moon... Jill ran up to Skye, breathing heavily. Skye turned to look at her, blinking in surprise. Jill grabbed his hand and walked to the barn on the farthest end of the field, dragging Skye behind her. She opened the doors and turned on the lights, sweeping hay off of a trap door with her foot. She opened it quickly and jumped inside, Skye following suit.

Inside the bottom of the barn was a room full of gold pieces. Countless bags of gold littered the floor and piled up against the walls. Skye's eyes widened. Had she seen through his ruse? No... if she had seen through him, there was no way she would show him all of her gold. Skye scratched his head. If she wasn't aware that this had been his goal all along, what was she showing him this for?

"I have a feeling you knew how much I had," Jill said, "After you talked about stealing what people hid away in places and forgot about." Skye looked around. Was this some sort of dream? "I can't do this anymore, Skye," Jill whispered, "My life was much less complicated when I thought of you as just a thief. But, the truth is... I think I love you. I can't love two people at once, and as much as you really really like me, I couldn't dream of tying you down to a town you could never show your face in. So... this is all the money I have. I get money from milk and crops every day. Most of this will sit down here for the rest of my life."

"What do you think you're doing?" Skye asked, "You're showing the hiding place of your money to a thief. You may like me, but I'm still a thief you know. This makes no sense!" Jill smiled and turned around to face Skye.

"What do you mean?" Jill asked, "This room is empty." Skye looked at her, confused. It was filled with gold. What was she talking about? Was she... giving it to him? Nobody had ever given him something he was trying to steal. Jill watched the emotions fly over Skye's face. She gave a small smile. "If I've learned one thing during our talks," Jill smiled, "it's that you never wanted to hurt people. Even though you're a thief, you're not a malicious person. Sure, you've got some anger because of your past. Who doesn't? But, as a future chef, you could really become who you want to be. You wouldn't have to run from anyone. You wouldn't have to steal anymore. You could go anywhere you wanted and never look back." Skye looked away from Jill. How did she know? He had let his guard down a little too much.

"So, what do you want me to do?" Skye asked, dreading the answer. Jill looked around at the piles of money, and then smiled up at Skye.

"Clean it up," Jill replied, "and leave."

* * *

Woah. Talk about a game changer. What's gonna happen next? :O Find out on Saturday!


	10. The Lesser of Two Evils

Hey Everyone! Thank you so much for waiting! I am happy to announce that the next chapter is up! Woo hoo! (Took me long enough). Thank you to everyone for commenting and giving corrections. I waited so long to post this because I was incredibly busy last semester with classes and activities. I love all of the positive comments, and there's plenty more story where this came from, so stay tuned!

* * *

Jill leaned lazily on the side of her wooden stable, letting the humid summer air sink under her glistening skin. She wiped the sweat off of her brow and sighed, a full day's worth of work done by two-thirty in the afternoon. The sun shone brightly over the farm, corn, tomatoes, and pineapples happily soaking up the summer sun in an effort to grow faster. Skye had been gone for a five months now, and showed no sign of ever coming back. Jill had hoped that he would go and live a life he could be proud of... but she didn't think he would go so willingly. She remembered the sinking feeling she had in her stomach when she had awaken the next morning. Even without looking in her barn, she knew that he was gone. She still hadn't checked. She knew from his absence that he had no intentions of coming back again.

"Jill!" a familiar voice rang out, "You done for the day?" Jill's eyes snapped up to see Marlin's friendly face walking towards her. Jill gave a small smile at the sight and stood up, waving Marlin over into the shade. Marlin jogged over to where Jill stood and sighed. Sweat dripped down the side of his face from the heat. Jill laughed a little and passed Marlin her water bottle.

"It sure is a hot one today," Jill sighed, "I was hoping to be done and out of the sun sooner, but two-thirty isn't a bad time to end work." Marlin unscrewed the cap of Jill's water bottle and took a large swig. After screwing the top back on, he handed the well-worn bottle back to Jill and took her hand. Jill chuckled and twisted her fingers into his, their own little secret as they stood in the presence of the nonchalant livestock without a villager in sight.

Jill still wasn't sure how she felt about Marlin. She knew she loved him, but what was the difference between being best friends and being lovers? Surely there were couples that were best friends, and some were obviously only lovers. Was it possible to be both? If it was possible, that was the kind of love she wanted. Seeing that Skye had done the unthinkable and forgotten her in Forget-me-not Valley, she really didn't have many options. If she was going to find someone to spend her life with, she had the perfect candidate standing right next to her.

Marlin stood silently with his hand intertwined with Jill's. He felt content. Looking over the farm gave him a sense of peace. His real passion was growing vegetables, but if he took the watering and harvesting while Jill took care of the animals their days would be done quickly and they could both spend more time together. Marlin slowly tilted his head back to breathe in the humid summer air. He was okay. He was a man of simple tastes. If he could hold a beautiful girl's hand like this after a hard day of work every day, he would be proud of the life he had lived when the sun set on his life. Marlin smiled and squeezed Jill's hand lightly. Jill looked over at Marlin with a smile. She let her hand fall from his and put her water bottle in her rucksack.

"Well," Jill stated, "I'm assuming you're done with work since you're over here so early. Would you like to go swimming?" Marlin chuckled. He had run over to Jill's house right after his work was over. Was he really so transparent? After the disappearance of that phantom thief, he had been very eager to be with Jill all of the time. He didn't know what happened, but Jill was only now recovering. She had needed someone to distract her from what had happened. Now that the thief was out of the picture, Marlin was sure he was the only person around that could help. As her friend, it was Marlin's duty to make sure that she was okay.

"That sounds great!" Marlin said, "I'll meet you at the beach in an hour." Jill watched Marlin run off. A whole hour? Jill's eyes wandered to her barn at the end of the field. She hadn't been in her hiding space since Skye had left... With an hour to spare, Jill found her feet carrying her to the very place she had avoided entering for five months.

The door of the barn creaked open like usual, all of the animals outside to graze. Jill walked over to the trapdoor and brushed the hay off with her feet before jumping down. She took her time standing up and reached up for the light. With a revealing click, the bulb filled the underground chamber with a soft yellow light. Jill looked down at the empty room and her heart shuddered, recognizing its fellow empty counterpart. Jill saw a piece of paper on the ground, and felt a small flame flutter in her heart. She slowly bent down and brought it up to the soft light. She read the words and felt the flame die as she struggled her hardest not to cry.

_'My Darling Jill,_

_Thank you for everything. You saw through me and gave me what nobody else would dare to. I'm not coming back. I'll leave, as you wish. _

_If I never see your lovely face again, I have to tell you that I love you, Jill. _

_You're strong, and I'm sure you'll move on. I won't be surprised if you and Marlin get married and have a loving family in five years or less. _

_I'll be living my life somewhere far away, making an honest living and thinking of you the entire time. _

_I wasn't sure that I loved you until I was faced with losing you forever. _

_Now that I have lost you, I have no doubt that I do. My love won't fade, but yours will. _

_You love Marlin, and you will for a long time. _

_I wish you every happiness._

_Sincerely,_

_The Man Who Loves You, and Who Always Will'_

Jill folded the letter and slipped it in her pocket. She lifted herself out of the hidden room and closed the door, brushing more hay over the top. She would have to start storing money in there again. Jill cleared her throat and walked into the harsh sunlight. Jill winced, the light making her feel exposed. Somehow, even after farewell, there was still an ember in her heart struggling to survive. Skye was right. She was strong. She was going to move on. She was going to forget about him and live her own life here with Marlin. As Skye's friend, she knew that this was what was best for him, and she couldn't argue it with him because he was already gone.

Jill took one confident step forward before she felt her throat close. She cleared her throat and started walking towards her house. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes, but she kept them down. Skye believed that she could live her life without him. She knew she could live a good life with Marlin. Jill finally made it to her house. She took the letter from her pocket and slipped it into her bedside table with the others. Skye had been gone for give months. For five months she had hope that he would come back or at least write a letter to tell her he was safe or doing well. If he really loved her all that much, why couldn't he send something, anything that would let her know that he was going to be alright? That she was going to be alright?

Jill pushed Skye to the back of her mind and pulled her tankini from her dresser. She quickly changed and moved her thoughts to Marlin. It was what Skye had wanted, after all. It was what Marlin wanted... It was what everyone wanted. But, what did she want? Did what she want even matter now that she only had one choice? As much as she thought it would be romantic to track down Skye, she couldn't just abandon her own life to do it. Jill shook her head and finished changing. Even though he had said an hour, Jill knew that Marlin always arrived early when it was possible. He only had to slip on his swim shorts and head down to the beach. Jill slipped on a sun dress and draped a towel over her shoulder before walking outside into the humid wall of air that was waiting for her. The cold ocean water would be just the right temperature on a day like today.

The sun shone happily onto Jill's tanned skin as she walked the path from her farm down to the beach. Birds chirped joyfully in the trees and the townspeople gathered beneath the well-shaded areas of town to talk about the weather and town life. Jill took out her ponytail and put her hair tie on her wrist so her hair wouldn't get tangled around it. Everything in town was so normal, unlike the storm Jill felt brewing inside of her. Once she saw Marlin, she would be alright. Suddenly, Jill saw a bit of blue flash out of the corner of her eye. A little bluebird flitted away into a nearby tree, leaving a petite blue feather stuck in the grass below. Jill walked over to it and picked it up.

"Ah! A blue feather!" a voice exclaimed behind Jill, "What a stroke of good luck!" Jill turned around to see Nina smiling up at her. "I remember when I gave Galen my blue feather. It was a day I'll never forget. It's said that one is only found when you're truly ready to take the next step!" Nina walked all the way to Jill, hunched over her cane. Jill smiled down at the frail old lady and held out the feather so that she could see it better. "I'm actually very glad that the women are able to propose here. A man will immediately pursue something he wants when he sees it. A woman is unsure until she is sure his intentions are pure. So Jill..." Nina paused, "The bluebird has blessed you with a gift. Are you ready for that blessing?" Jill stood quietly looking at the feather. She looked at the small tufts of down at its base and at its striking color. It was beautiful... Jill smiled.

"I..."

...

Skye rolled a suitcase full of new clothes into a run down building he had just bought in a small residential reason of mainland Japan. It had taken five months of research to find the perfect location for his new restaurant. Dressed in a button-down pastel green shirt with a backpack slung over his shoulder and khaki pants, he looked like an average person. His newly dyed black hair made him look even more ordinary. Locking the door behind him, Skye skipped looking over the kitchen area so he could unpack his things in the poorly furnished apartment on the top floor of his soon to be restaurant. He had managed to get convincing papers, and now that he was far away from a life of crime he could finally relax. He had left a cell number with his most trusted friends, but it was an untraceable phone so that nobody could find him without his permission. Skye lugged his suitcase up the stairs and set it beside the musty brown couch before flopping onto it. The furniture had come with the purchase of the building, but that was something he would have to change. He would have to buy all new furniture and probably all new appliances for his restaurant as well. Starting a new life at twenty-seven wasn't what he had imagined doing at any point in his life, but now that he'd gotten the second chance he wasn't going to give it up for anything. He wondered how Jill was doing before picking up his backpack and making a To-Do list. He obviously had to get new sheets and blankets. He probably wanted a few groceries to get him through all of the repainting and set up. He had to acquire a business license and actually think of a name for the place before making a nice bright neon sign to draw the drunks in late at night.

Skye was soon tired of his list. He decided to go by his original name, Steiner, and made a mental note to get a new mattress or floor mat as soon as he could. Stepping out into the street with a simple map of the area, Skye locked the door behind him and headed to the bus stop. The road to a brand new life would be a difficult one, but Jill had trusted him with every penny she had. With that kind of belief, there was nothing he couldn't overcome. As Skye thought of Jill, a smile came to his face. He loved her... and he would probably never see her again. At least she knew.

...

Marlin waited at the beach with his feet in the water. Kai was back at his stand stir-frying some vegetables for his supper. Marlin sighed and looked out at the ocean, wondering what direction his life was headed. Unlike so many who saw the ocean and knew that they wanted to cross it, Marlin looked out and saw the value of the valley over some foreign place. So many people wanted adventure. Not Marlin. No, Marlin wanted a simple life. He wanted to work, and to raise a family. He wanted to be proud of his work and his family. He wanted to die knowing that his family would know the meaning of purposeful work and true family. Marlin sighed again, cold water running over his toes. Was that family going to be with Jill? Would Jill ever decide whether or not to take him? He wasn't getting any younger.

Marlin heard footsteps behind him. He stood up at turned around, surprised to be face to face with Jill holding a bright blue feather. Marlin blushed and scratched his head.

"Uh... You know what that's for, right?" Marlin asked. He knew that she knew, but if she hadn't had time to hide it before he had stood up, now would be her chance to make up a reason to put it away. Jill made no move to put the feather in her pocket or her bag. She just stood in front of Marlin with the bright blue feather, giving a goofy smile as Marlin turned deeper shades of red with every passing second. Jill cleared her throat.

"Marlin," Jill stated, "I know what this is used for. It's used for happiness." Marlin, surprised by the answer, gave a small smile. "I've been thinking a lot about happiness lately," Jill said sadly, "I was thinking about what I could do for my future to be as bright as my present. I don't care about money. What I care about is doing something in my life that means something more than day in and day out work. I want to be able to wake up every morning and know that the day is going to be okay. Every time I see your face... I know I'm going to be okay. Marlin, you're my best friend. You're always there for me when I get careless. Even though you're not perfect, you're perfect for me. We're perfect together as friends. Maybe now is the time to be perfect as... more than friends. My happiness in this place comes from the fact that you're a short walk away. Happiness for me would be bringing you even closer. I guess what I'm trying to say is... Marlin? Will you marry me?"

Marlin, still bright red, tried his hardest not to stutter. He had just been wondering whether Jill wanted to start a family with him or not. Here was the answer, staring up at him with hopeful eyes and the bluest feather he had ever laid eyes on.

"I-... I don't know what to say." Marlin said, blushing, "You're giving me the feather? That means your proposing...Is this really happening? I'm..." Marlin paused, "I'm so happy." Marlin chuckled and took the feather from Jill. Jill sighed in relief and gave Marlin a hug. Marlin hugged her back and twirled her around. "Yes!" Marlin laughed, "My answer is yes." Jill laughed with Marlin until he put her down. "Since I'm the man, I kinda feel like I should propose. Is that okay with you?" Jill nodded lightly and Marlin got down on his knee. "Jill, would you make me the happiest man alive? Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes," Jill grinned, "I'll marry you." Marlin grinned in reply and stood up, brushing the sand off of his knee.

"Whew... even knowing you'd say yes that was tough," Marlin chuckled, "And I never thought that I would propose to someone in my bathing suit." Jill and Marlin laughed together and proceeded to play in the water, the blue feather stuck in the sand watching over them close by.

Before Marlin and Jill realized it, the sun had started to set. Fingers pruny and the sweat of the day replaced with the cold salt water of the ocean, Jill and Marlin dried off with their sandy towels. Marlin couldn't keep the smile off of his face. Kai was closing up shop at his booth, watching the newly engaged couple with a knowing smile. As Jill and Marlin passed the booth, Kai ran to them.

"Hey!" Kai laughed, "Congratulations!" Marlin blushed and Jill laughed.

"Thanks Kai!" Jill giggled, "I didn't know you were paying attention." Kai chuckled.

"As the owner of this fine booth, it's my job to pay attention to potential customers!" Kai joked, "I wanted to make you guys something as a gift, but I was closing up. How about I buy you guys some drinks at the bar instead?" Jill and Marlin smiled.

"Well," Marlin said, "That'd be great. We'd need to change our clothes first. You can still catch colds in the summer." Jill nodded.

"That sounds great Kai!" Jill smiled, "How about we meet there at six?"

"Alright!" Kai laughed, "I'll try to keep the news to myself until you get there."

Jill, Marlin, and Kai went separate ways to prepare for a fun night at the bar. Kai went to the Inn and told Ruby, who told Rock and Lumina before the three headed to the bar. Marlin walked Jill home before walking to Vesta's farm and sharing the news with Vesta and Celia. After Marlin changed, the three headed off to the bar to join in the celebration. On the way, Vesta told Galen the news, who fetched Nina before heading off to the bar to join them. On their way to the bar, they ran into Flora, who ran to the tent to get the professor to join the celebration. When Kai got to the bar, it had more people than it had ever held wishing to congratulate Marlin and Jill. Ruby volunteered to move the bar activities to the Inn for the night, which Griffin and Muffy agreed to. The crowd moved to the Inn and Kai intercepted Jill on her way to the bar. He brought her to the Inn, and everybody started congratulating the newly engaged couple. Hours later, Marlin carried Jill bridal style out of the Inn. This time, she was still awake.

"Marlin, I can- I can walk..." Jill said, looking up at Marlin with a goofy smile. Marlin chuckled. He had stopped drinking about two hours in. Jill decided it was impolite to not drink anything that was given to her. As a result, she had been teetering even when she was sitting down.

"I know," Marlin replied, "I just like carrying you." The night was clear. The summer air had cooled down, and a crisp, constant breeze flowed through the valley. Marlin stepped lightly, Jill's warm body giving him a will to move on. Suddenly, something happened that had never happened before. Marlin's right knee buckled, and down they fell onto the cobblestone path beneath them. Jill landed with an "Oof" and then started laughing.

"Marlin, I think you've had a little more than you thought." Jill joked. Marlin blushed and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, brushing off the dirt.

"That's never happened before," Marlin said, "I thought I was getting stronger." Jill stood up and held her hand out to Marlin. He grabbed it and stood up, careful not to rely on the ever-tottering Jill.

"I think you're- getting stronger," Jill hiccuped, "But don't worry about getting strong right away. It's not like I haven't farmed and ranched for years without your help. The help is nice, but I'll be just fine if you can't do too much physical work." Marlin chuckled nervously and picked Jill back up. What did she mean by that? It was obvious that she didn't need him to help around the farm but... did she need him in any other way? Marlin walked Jill back to her house and made sure she was safely in bed before walking home.

The moon was high overhead and Marlin walked over the bridge with his hands in his pockets, contemplating how slow and how fast his relationship with Jill had been changing over the years. It was obvious that he had the blessing of the townspeople, but did Marlin have the blessing from himself? He knew how he felt about Jill. He just assumed the next step was to get married. Marlin looked at his house and saw a candle in the window. Curious, he stepped inside and saw Celia sleeping soundly at the dining room table. She must have been waiting up for him.

Marlin walked quietly to the other side of the table and sat down, watching Celia's eyelashes flutter as she took long, silent breaths. Her skin looked alive under the candlelight. Marlin sighed and gently shook her shoulder from across the table. Celia yawned and rubbed her eyes, looking at Marlin. Her eyes danced with happiness from the flame.

"Welcome home," Celia yawned again, "How long was I out?" Marlin smiled, and Celia smiled back warmly.

"Celia?" Marlin asked suddenly, "Why do people get married?" Celia looked at Marlin strangely before softly laughing.

"If you're asking that before you've even been married to her, you have some trouble ahead of you." Celia joked.

"I'm serious," Marlin said, shifting his gaze over to the candle, "tonight I- for the first time I'm starting to wonder if love is enough." Celia and Marlin were silent for awhile before Celia sighed.

"You know I don't like bringing up Mom and Dad but- I think it'll give you an answer." Celia stated. Marlin waited patiently for Celia's reply, and wondered what wisdom could possibly bring peace to his mind. Celia continued, "I've always been a sickly child. Constant trips to the doctor put a lot of strain on the marriage, but somehow they always stayed together. Sometimes I wondered if they still loved each other. They got into fights, but somehow they always made up." Celia looked down at her hands, "If they had split apart, I think I would have blamed myself. By some miracle, they stayed together until the accident. Mom wasn't able to take care of me on her own, so she sent me here to live with you two." Celia gave a small smile before continuing. "I've wondered a lot about how Mom and Dad stayed together even when they didn't love each other as much as they did in the beginning. I think... love is enough to start. Love brings the smiles and joy that everyone searches for. But in the beginning, there's also something there that must outgrow love itself. It's the seed of need. It's knowing that you're coming home to someone that needs you in some little way, and then later on, in bigger ways. Knowing that your purpose in life can only be fulfilled by helping them as they help you in the same way. Love may bring anyone together, but need keeps them together." Celia looked up at Marlin and smiled sadly. "I-" Celia shook her head, "No, maybe another time. If you want to know if love is enough, I don't think it is. I don't even think you truly need love. But if you don't need her, and she doesn't need you, then what keeps you together when times get tough and love is scarce?" Celia stood up and walked to the stairs.

"Wait!" Marlin called softly. Celia turned around, watching the light of the flame dance over Marlin's pale skin. "Doesn't needing her make me weak?" Celia shook her head.

"No, Marlin," Celia replied softly before heading up the stairs, "Loving her... needing her... accepting her help... that's what makes you stronger. It made me stronger..." Celia smiled warmly. "Goodnight, Marlin."

Marlin watched Celia ascend the steps to her room before blowing out the candle.

"Need, huh?" Marlin said to himself in the dark, "She must need me in some way or another. Do I want her? Yes.. Do I need her?" Vesta softly snored in the background and Marlin walked softly over to his bed, too tired to change into his pajamas. As he drifted off to dreamland, the answer was lost behind dreams of a bright new future.

Thank you everybody for waiting such a long time! Woo hoo summer break! I have the rest of the chapters planned out, and I should have everything written out and posted by the end of my break. Thank you so much for bearing with me, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter (and the 10 or so to come... )


	11. Sweet Dreams

Hey everyone! :) I hope you enjoy this chapters. Just a reminder, I don't own these characters or the landscape. What I own are copies of the games in the franchise. I'm just a fan who is inspired to create a story from characters already near and dear to her heart. Without further ado, I bring you Chapter 11!~

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Jill looked down at the beautiful white rose petals on the beach, her long white dress softly disturbing the silky sand beneath her bare feet. She exhaled nervously and looked at her bouquet, a fragrant bundle of happy forget-me-nots, for confidence. She saw the groom's feet ahead of her, turning around. She looked up as he turned to face her, Skye's warm face smiling back at her. He held out his hand, Jill reaching for it as it moved further and further away...

Jill awoke in the dead of night, a cold sweat on her forehead. She turned on her bedside lamp and sat up, breathing heavily. Eight days. That's how much time she had left as a single woman. In eight days, she would wake up, get into a simple white dress and walk to the beach with a bouquet and a dream for the future. Since she had proposed to Marlin a month ago, her dreams only got more and more severe. She hadn't had a solid night of sleep since Skye had left the valley. She had hoped that moving on with her own life would help her, but so far, it had only made things worse. Jill walked to the kitchen and filled a glass of water. Tilting the glass too fast, Jill swallowed the cold water too quickly and ended up in a coughing fit. It was only 2 in the morning, but she knew she wouldn't get much sleep for the rest of the night.

After Jill had set her glass in the kitchen sink, she crawled back under her covers and turned out the light, patiently waiting for sleep to take her under its wing again. All this time she had hoped that Skye was right, and that her love would fade. She got up and took care of her animals and plants. She had long conversations with Marlin and hung out at the bar with Muffy and Griffin and tried to visit Lumina once in a blue moon. Marriage had given her more responsibilities than she had expected. Jill tried her hardest to work her hardest so that the love could slowly fade away. Even so, she woke up every single day with his smile on her mind. She woke up with the warmth of his soft breath on the back of her neck. She fantasized constantly about him rescuing her from her current fate, realizing his mistakes and taking her off somewhere they could be together for the rest of their days. Jill shook the thought from her mind and rolled over on her side, hugging her pillow tightly against her. She wasn't scared to marry Marlin. She was scared of what marrying Marlin stood for. It stood for settling down, resigning her fate to Marlin's care forever. It meant that she would be committed to someone who couldn't love her they way that Skye could.

Jill knew that marrying Marlin was a wise decision, and one that would bring her security and a lifetime of happiness. She knew that she would grow as a person, as a wife, and as a mother. She knew that the Goddess would bless her work and keep her safe until she was an old woman, fondly waiting to die with her best friend through all of these years by her side. She also knew that she didn't love Marlin the way she loved Skye. Eight days... She had once heard that it was normal to question your marriage shortly before the big day. She didn't know that it was normal to doubt the relationship for the entirety of the engagement. Finally sleep began to pull her under its current, and she was swiftly delivered into an ocean of impossible dreams.

Marlin laid quietly in his bed at the crack of dawn, sunlight revealing millions of dancing particles in the air of the old farmhouse. Eight days. A month had passed from the day that he had accepted Jill's proposal. He had been so happy that he hadn't really thought about the wedding. He was sure that after the wedding, all of his doubts and anxiety would go away. Still, a small part of him wondered if they weren't rushing the wedding. They had been together for quite some time now, but he had always imagined life as a collaboration of memories made after the wedding. He hadn't thought of what making memories with Jill would entail. Sighing deeply, Marlin closed his eyes. He could make memories with anyone. Why had he chosen Jill? Their friendship had taught him how to be a better man. He only wanted to keep improving himself. With Jill by his side, he knew he could get stronger and become a better man. Was that a good enough reason to get married? Surely people had gotten married for reasons much less important than that, but this was the rest of his life. Would he have any regrets if he didn't marry Jill? Would he have any regrets if he did?

Marlin heard Celia's soft footsteps overhead and opened his eyes. What would happen to Celia and Vesta if he left them for Jill? Sure, they would all stay friends, but Vesta wouldn't take too kindly to having him help her competition. He didn't want to leave all the farm work to Jill everyday so he could work for his sister. Celia's footsteps echoed softly down the stairs. Marlin opened his eyes and watched her walk quietly into the kitchen to start preparing breakfast. He smiled softly, remembering all of the fun times the three of them had in the house, the fields, and the shop. He would miss eating Celia's cooking every morning. Seeing her smiling face in the morning was all it took to encourage him to live the rest of the day the best he could. He would miss helping her to the house when she had to stop working, and cheering her up when she had a particularly bad day and felt like she wasn't able to do anything meaningful with her life.

Marlin pushed off his covers and quietly made his bed, Celia busy at work in the kitchen. Marlin leaned against the staircase and watched Celia work. She hummed happily as she cracked eggs into the frying pan for breakfast. Out of all the things he would miss about this place, he would miss Celia the most. Marlin walked to the counter and smiled down at Celia. Celia smiled up at him in reply. There was nothing said in those few minutes, but everything was known.

"Sunny-side up or scrambled?" Celia asked, looking down at the pan. Marlin walked over to the table.

"Whatever you feel like making," Marlin replied, opening the farm house window by the dining table. Celia laughed lightly.

"What if I feel like making what you want?" Celia asked, turning the heat up on the stove.

"Well then," Marlin laughed in reply, "I guess sunny-side up." Vesta stirred quietly beneath her covers before pushing them off and joining the other two in the kitchen.

"I'm gonna miss waking up to laughter," Vesta said, pouring herself a glass of milk from the fridge, "You sure you want to get married so soon, Marlin?" Marlin cleared his throat. He knew it was a joke, but he wondered if Vesta had noticed something. Marlin replied quickly to avoid an awkward conversation.

"I'm not getting any younger, you know," Marlin joked, "Besides, it won't be too different. I'll just be taking orders from a different lady."

"You better come visit!" Vesta exclaimed, Marlin nodding.

"Breakfast is ready," Celia said, "Eggs sunny-side up and toast with butter."

As the three had their breakfast reminiscing about the past, their bond only continued to grow. If it was going to be like this every morning until the wedding, Marlin wasn't sure he would have the heart to leave. He had been so sure about everything until the night he had kissed Celia. After that night, he had gained reassurance by Jill's love and forgiveness. He had been so sure until the night he dropped her. It was like an ugly premonition of what was to come. How many times a day would he not be able to help her? When he was on his deathbed looking up at her, would he see the love or all of the regret and disappointment that he had inspired?

"Marlin?" Celia asked. Marlin quickly refocused on the conversation. He must have been staring off into space for quite a while. "Are you okay?" Marlin cleared his throat and nodded. Celia smiled softly, not entirely convinced. "That's good, just make sure to finish your breakfast before it gets cold."

Marlin finished his breakfast, the food staying warm and conversation growing cold as the working hour approached. After the food was gone and the dishes were put in the sink, Marlin and Vesta made their way out into the fields. Celia started filling the sink with soapy water, grabbing the sponge from underneath the sink. She sighed and looked out the window as Vesta and Marlin passed by. She knew Marlin thought he wasn't much help, but he got a huge part of the day to day work done. She knew she couldn't pick up the amount of work Marlin would leave behind. She also knew that as strong as Vesta was, she would be working herself to the bone just to get things done if she picked up even half of the work Marlin accomplished. The farm had prospered more when the three of them were there. They had a system that seemed to work perfectly. Now, a third of that system was leaving.

"Oh!" Celia exclaimed as freezing cold water flowed from the full sink onto the floor below. She quickly turned off the faucet and drained some of the water, wondering how long it would take to get over Marlin's absence. It had never occurred to her before he was engaged that he could be gone forever. Not gone gone but... gone. He would be living his own life, loving his wife and children, becoming a man who knew what it meant to live life to the fullest... without her. When she had gotten to the farm Marlin had been gentle, a man who knew how to handle almost any situation that was thrown his way. He had always treated her with respect and kindness. She didn't realize how much she would miss him until now. She had realized it too late.

Celia set to work on the dishes, memories of the family that they had already created playing like a movie she would never get to see the end of.

"I wonder if Celia will be okay," Vesta wondered aloud, "She considers us family, you know." Marlin walked to the edge of the next field, looking at the house. He couldn't see Celia, but he wondered if she was alright.

"I know." Marlin replied.

...

"I can't believe it! Only eight days!" Muffy grabbed Jill's hands and jumped up and down in excitement. Jill joined her happily, excited at the prospect of being married so soon. Griffin had let Jill use the bar for wedding planning every afternoon for the past month. Jill, Muffy, Celia, and Vesta, had been planning and piecing everything together to make Jill and Marlin's big day a day they would never forget.

"I know!" Jill exclaimed, "I'm so excited and- and nervous." Muffy calmed down and nodded, walking over to the bar.

"Oh I would be too," Muffy said reassuringly, "I've only thought about it since I was seven. Everything will change! You'll be living with someone else for the first time since you lived with your Mom." Jill smiled, trying her best not to look like a wounded puppy.

"Do you think she would be proud of me?" Jill asked, "My mother, I mean. Do you think this is what she imagined my life to look like?" Muffy smiled endearingly and led Jill over to one of the bar stools. Sitting down next to her, Muffy put a comforting hand on Jill's shoulder.

"I think," Muffy smiled, "As long as you're happier than you could have ever imagined, your mom would be proud of the life you lead." Jill laughed lightly.

"Careful," Jill joked, "I'm sure there are some exceptions to that statement." Muffy thought for a moment, and then gasped.

"I guess you're right!" Muffy exclaimed, "But your life isn't really scandalous now, is it?" Jill shook her head. Celia and Vesta stepped into the bar, the fresh valley air following them inside.

"Woo!" Vesta half-shouted, "It's a hot one! Summer is right around the corner, I can feel it!" Celia smiled happily, thankful to be out of the sun for a little while. She and Vesta approached the bar, sitting next to Muffy and Jill on arrival.

"I hope your wedding day is just as beautiful as today is," Celia smiled, "though, even if it were raining, I know both of you would still be happy." Jill smiled back at Celia and stood up.

"It's supposed to be nice and sunny for the rest of the week," Jill replied, "so we can actually practice the setup on the beach in a couple of days to see how long it would take. I've grown the flowers we'll need, and the dress... well... I'm not really super confident about my sewing skills. I can just wear it as is." The dress she had was a plain white dress that went just past the knees. The lace pattern was old fashioned, but it fit her perfectly. She didn't need a perfect dress for a nice wedding. "Next order of business," Jill said quickly to avoid more discussion on the dress, "How are the invitations coming, Muffy?" Muffy giggled.

"Everyone in town has received a written and oral invitation," Muffy said professionally, "and so far, everyone is expected to come!" Jill grinned.

"Great!" Jill exclaimed, "I can't wait! Now, when are you and Marlin going tuxedo shopping Vesta?" Vesta cleared her throat.

"We're scheduled to go to the city tomorrow for measurements, and the tux should be done in a few days." Jill smiled a goofy smile.

"I can't wait to see him in a tux!" Jill giggled, "It'll be so different..." The three women smiled happily at Jill's joy, all wondering when or if their time for a wedding would come. Vesta was just fine working on her own. She didn't need a man to have a family. Even if Marlin was gone, she still had Celia to take care of. Muffy knew that she would have her white wedding one day. She wasn't getting younger, and most of the guys she dated were secretly sleazeballs, but maybe there was a guy right in front of her that would make her happier than she could imagine. Celia knew that she had her whole life ahead of her, but if she was certain about one thing, it was that she didn't want to lose another family. Jill looked at the smiling faces of each of the women, each so strong and beautiful in their own way. Would that change? Would she change after marriage?

"Celia... Vesta..." Jill whispered. Celia and Vesta looked at her expectantly. "Thank you...," Jill started, "I mean, I know Marlin is a part of your family. Knowing that you two will be okay when he leaves means so much to me. I know how much you love him... I love him too. I'll be good to him, and we'll stop by as often as you'd like."

"My brother," Vesta said softly, "has never felt like he fit in anywhere. I was afraid he'd live his entire life feeling like a wanderer in a strange land. But when you came along-" Vesta stopped suddenly, choking back the closest things to tears she would ever shed, "When you came along and became his friend, you gave him life. You gave him purpose. I remember him coming home late one night after walking you home from the bar. He was smiling. It had been so long since he had smiled I had forgotten what it had looked like." Vesta cleared her throat. "After that, I knew that he would have a happy life if it was with you." Celia looked over at Vesta and rested her hand on her arm.

"I've known Marlin for... years now." Celia smiled, "Before you decided to be his friend, he was mopey a lot. He was always so sure he was getting worse. I guess he didn't think Vesta and I believed that he could get stronger. But that day... that day when you chased after him, he came back a different person. He was more determined to be the man he wanted to be... the man he was always keeping inside. I would be lying if I said I wouldn't miss him, but I know that you can help him more than anyone else can... so..." Celia sighed and gave a small smile, "Make us proud." Jill giggled and nodded.

The meeting went on as planned and ended with Griffin coming back to get the bar ready. The women parted ways, Jill walking home just as the sun was setting over the valley. She loved Marlin, this much was true. She wasn't the only one. Celia and Vesta would love him forever, just as she would pledge to in eight days. Now, if she didn't marry Marlin, she wouldn't just be disappointing herself. She would be disappointing Marlin, Vesta, and Celia as well. She was the one who proposed, and now she had a responsibility to see the marriage through until the end. Not only would Marlin become part of her family, but she would also be family to Vesta and Celia. Somehow, knowing this made her stronger. As far as she knew, Skye didn't have a family.

Jill sighed and looked up at the sky. In eight days, she would marry Marlin. Jill walked onto her farmland and did her nightly chores. Slipping in bed early, she hoped that the reassurance of her coming marriage would let her sleep peacefully.

...

A fresh breeze blew by, tickling Jill's ear. She felt... old. Looking down, she saw old weathered hands folded in her lap. The sun was setting over her barns and chicken coops and she gave a sigh. She was at peace. A woman in her forties with long brown hair down to her waist walked into the house, Jill catching a glimpse of her as she passed by. A young boy of around twelve played with a newborn calf, the woman inside of the house calling to him. The boy ran up to Jill and smiled.

"Grandma, we're waiting for you inside! Let's eat!" Jill smiled and stood up slowly. Her bones were strong, yet weary of years of farm work. She walked to the entrance of her house and opened the door, a large family all smiling up at her as she walked inside. There was the woman with brown hair and green eyes, her daughter. On either side of her she had two twin boys, one sitting next to an empty spot where she was to sit. On the other side was a middle aged man with gray hair and kind brown eyes. On one side he had his wife, on the other a precious girl of about five years old who looked like her. Jill's heart felt full. She wondered how she had been able to live without them now that they were here in front of her. Taking a seat at the table, the family started passing the food around the table.

"What about grandpa?" The little girl asked. Her father and mother smiled at her.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." A old, kind voice rang out behind them. Jill turned around, seeing a silver haired old man with beautiful blue eyes. His face was still as charming as ever, wrinkles only giving his cunning face character. As he sat across her from the table, the family began to decrease in age. She saw her granddaughter turn into a baby and her daughter in law have a reverse pregnancy. She saw the same happen to her daughter, her son in law nowhere to be found. She saw Skye transform from an old man into a young one, her kids disappearing into her own uterus until they sat across her own small round table. Not once did the loving look in Skye's eye change.

Finally, they were at the beginning.

"I never really had a family, Jill," Skye smiled, "But I love you. We'll make our own family. One day you'll look and see all of us together and wonder... 'How did I ever live without them?'." Then he disappeared. Marlin walked in the door and sat across from Jill. Her heart fluttered, seeing her family disappear. Complete sadness had washed over her as she watched Marlin give a half smile.

"Are you ready to be a part of my family?" Marlin asked, "I wonder... if I really would fit in with yours." The family reappeared at the table with Marlin at the head, Jill finding herself in a wheelchair. Marlin smiled at her from across the table before fading away.

"What about grandpa?" The little girl asked.

Jill woke up breathing heavily, sweat dripping down her neck. She threw off her covers and looked at her clock. It was only 11:00 at night. Midnight had not yet passed. Letting her feet lead her, Jill slipped on a pair of sneakers and walked all the way up to Goddess Pond. Long brown hair cascading down her back, Jill looked up at the moon with violet eyes and fell to her knees, a mangled whisper escaping her mouth.

"Skye..."

She wished she could take out her heart and throw it into the pond. She was sorry. She was sorry that she ever told Skye to leave. She was sorry about being skeptical of his friendship, about doubting his love, about accusing him of theft without reason. She didn't care if any of it were true. Her heart raged inside of her chest and tears fell down her cheeks. The family she had seen in the dream was gone. Any chance of having them to love and care for her was gone. She had felt so right when Skye sat across the table from her promising the world... she wished he would come back. She wished that Skye would be there to object to the wedding, that he would take her hand and run with her all the way to another country. She wished... Oh how she wished.

After an hour of crying, Jill wiped her face. It would be the last time she would cry over Skye. She promised that as soon as she was married to Marlin, she would be faithful in every way. She would not dream about a life with Skye by day or by night. She would let Marlin mend her broken heart and create that family with him. She had been broken in her lifetime, but not like this. Just like the last time, it would take love and support. If Marlin couldn't be the love of her life, he could at least save her from herself. Jill looked up at the moon one last time and resolved never to wonder whether Skye was looking up at the moon at the same time again.

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That's the end of Chapter 11! I hope you enjoyed it. On another note, this story is now officially over one year old! Woo! I promise the next chapters won't take a year to post. :3 Thank you for reading, and don't forget to review!


	12. Wedding Day

Hey guys! The big moment is finally here! It's Wedding Day! :D Enjoy!

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There was a quiet over the valley as the stars slowly faded from the sky. It was finally morning. The chickens clucked softly in their coops, and the vegetables stretched out their leaves to prepare for the sun. Not a single villager was awake, their dreams filled with tidings of joy as they breathed deeply. Just before the light of day could reach the horizon, a soft wind rustled the leaves of the trees, bringing a silent visitor with a simply wrapped package. At once, the package was placed in front of the door, and the visitor left not a single stone out of place as they left just as soon as they had arrived.

Jill's eyes shot open at the crack of dawn. It was the day she had been awaiting and dreading the moment she had given away the bright blue feather that would change her life as she knew it. Her heart was already racing. Her fingers danced in their place and her toes tingled with excitement. Her waist seemed to be tied to the bed, her mind unable to throw off the sheets and get ready for the day. Her heart... All she could be certain of was that it was still beating. She had to face the day no matter what the day threw at her. After making sure that all of her chores would be done without her that day, she threw off her blankets and set her feet on the floor.

Jill had been staring at her feet for a while before she heard a knock at the door. Jill stood up and walked to the door quickly, opening it to reveal Muffy with a rather large make-up kit under one arm and an unmarked brown box under the other.

"Jill!" Muffy exclaimed, "You're still in your pajamas!?" Muffy set the things down on the table and Jill followed like a puppy who wasn't quite sure what was going on. "Oh honestly Jill," Muffy sighed, "Wake-up! It's the big day! You need to get your dress on so I know how much of your neck I have to cover!" Jill yawned and nodded her head, walking over to her clothes chest.

Jill shed her pajamas and slipped on the dress. It had been her mother's wedding dress. Jill looked at the old style and couldn't help but feel like she was stepping back into the past. She wondered how sure her mother had been when she married her father. She was sad that she hadn't had the chance to ask. Jill walked over to the table as Muffy turned on the light. As Jill sat down, Muffy muttered a 'tsk tsk' and undid Jill's hair.

"Don't fall asleep on me now," Muffy giggled, "We have your hair and make-up to do and only a few hours to spare! Noon comes awfully early when you're preparing for such a big event." Jill rubbed her eyes and gave a small 'uh huh' before stretching her arms into the air.

"I hope you can pull off a miracle," Jill joked, "I didn't get that much sleep last night." Muffy giggled and started brushing out Jill's long brown locks.

"Too excited?" Muffy questioned. Jill smiled softly.

"You could call it that," Jill replied, "My dreams were pretty vivid last night, which didn't help." Muffy sighed happily.

"Funny, isn't it?" Muffy giggled, "I bet you'd never think you would have a dream that came true." Jill frowned without Muffy noticing. In the past week, all of her dreams had been about marriage and a family with Skye or Skye coming back to stop her marriage to Marlin. Part of her dream would come true, at least. She didn't want to be lonely for the rest of her life. She knew in her heart that Skye wasn't coming back. But was that enough to justify getting married to Marlin?

"Ow!" Jill said as Muffy pulled through a knot in her hair. Muffy giggled.

"Sorry hon," Muffy replied, "Miracles don't come cheap."

...

Marlin was standing alone on the beach. Suddenly, time started rushing by. People came to set up the wedding. They placed beach chairs, ribbons, and flowers all over. A podium was set up behind him. More and more people started to gather. Marlin walked to the back of the aisle as the people zoomed past. Celia and Vesta sat in the front row and chattered excitedly. He only made out the words wedding and happy as the seats quickly filled. Suddenly, somebody slipped their arm into his, and time was back to normal. He began walking down the aisle arm in arm with somebody. He looked over to see a girl dressed in white with a heavy veil covering her face.

When they reached the podium, the mayor smiled down upon them.

"Who gives this woman away?" The mayor asked. Marlin looked around, the audience looking at him expectantly. He looked at the veiled figure in front of him.

"I do." Marlin said hesitantly, "I think." Marlin then took a step back and watched the woman walk to her side of the podium. The spot of the groom was empty. Marlin scratched his head. Wasn't anybody going to marry her? Who was this wedding for? Marlin looked back and took an empty seat.

"Will anybody take this woman in holy matrimony?" The mayor asked to the crowd, "Who among you knows this woman?" The crowd was silent. Marlin stood up. He walked to the alter and took the woman's hands.

"I do." Marlin said. He flipped the veil. Jill looked back at him with a look of emptiness in her eyes.

"Your honor," Jill said, "This man does not know me. He gave my heart away, how could he know my heart?" The crowd gasped.

"Excuse me," a voice said behind Marlin, "I believe you're trying to take something that isn't yours." Marlin turned quickly to defend himself.

"I'm not a th-" Marlin stopped mid-sentence , coming face to face with a set of piercing blue eyes.

"You!" Marlin pointed, "You stole her heart from me!" Skye chuckled in response.

"Oh no, stealing a heart is not as simple as you make it sound," Skye sighed, "Be that as it may, you claimed that you're not a thief. I'm guessing you never stole it back." Skye pushed Marlin out of the way, and Marlin saw emotion fill Jill's eyes and smile before the two kissed.

"NO!" Marlin shouted.

Marlin awoke at the crack of dawn, heart racing. He sat up and put his hand over his heart, taking deep breaths. He felt a small hand on his shoulder and his lap, a comforting presence in the darkness.

"Marlin, are you okay?" Celia asked softly, "You must have had a nightmare." Marlin softly grabbed the hand on his lap, his mind going back to the night Skye told him that he was going to steal Jill's heart. He wasn't still in the valley, was he? The thefts had stopped altogether. Jill hadn't mentioned a word about him. Surely she wouldn't have proposed unless he was gone...

"Marlin?" Celia asked again. Marlin snapped back to reality and and regained control of his breathing.

"I- I'm alright," Marlin said nodding his head, "thanks." Marlin kept Celia's hand in his for a long time before realizing that he was still holding on for dear life. He slowly let go and propped himself up against his headboard. Celia knelt beside Marlin, making sure he was okay. He had never had a nightmare like that. Usually he didn't dream much at all.

"Marlin..." Celia said softly, "Are you sure you'll be alright? I mean, Jill would be fine moving the wedding if you're not feeling up to it today." Marlin shook his head.

"No, I'm fine." Marlin answered quickly. What kind of man would he be if he couldn't even stand at his own wedding? He would go through with the wedding today. He would not back down. Once he watched Jill walk down the aisle of chairs he was sure that the doubts that he had would fly far away from his thoughts forever.

"Well, it's been a stressful week," Celia sighed, "so don't worry about a thing. Just sleep until 10 or 11 and then get dressed. Vesta and I will take care of the rest." Marlin nodded and laid back down in his bed with a sigh. Celia stood up to go just as the sun peeked over the horizon.

"Celia," Marlin whispered. Celia turned around, and Marlin gave her a genuine smile. "Thanks." Celia smiled back and tiptoed up the stairs, preparing for one of the most emotional days she would ever know.

...

Four hours later Jill had been braided, plucked, made-up, and dressed to the nines for her wedding day. Muffy had done a fantastic job. Jill took a look in the mirror and barely recognized herself. Muffy had french-braided her long brown hair and draped it over her right shoulder. She had then stuck upwards of one hundred bobby pins to hold stray hairs and little white flowers in her hair. Her face looked absolutely flawless, violet eyes surrounded by silver eye-shadow, a thin line of black surrounding her eyes and long soft eyelashes.

Muffy stuck the veil on top of Jill's head and pulled back the mirror for Jill to see most of her body. Jill gasped at the beauty looking back at her, her heart breaking. She wanted her mother to be able to see her. Even more frightening, she wanted Skye to see her more than she wanted her mother to. Even if he wasn't here to marry her, she wanted him to share in her happiness.

"Jill? Are you okay?" Muffy asked, lifting the veil. She sighed in relief when she saw that the waterproof make-up was holding up to Jill's tears. Muffy took Jill in her arms and hugged her tightly. "Jill, do you not want to get married to Marlin?" Jill shook her head.

"I-It's-s not th-that-" Jill said through sobs, "E-ev-verything's ch-changing so fast. I m-miss the p-people who can't- can't-" Muffy gave a small laugh.

"Who can't be here." Muffy said, wiping Jill's tears from her eyes. Muffy knew it had to be hard for Jill. Both her father and mother were dead. She didn't have any family left to speak of. "I know it's difficult to know that not everybody you love could be here for this," Muffy smiled, staring into Jill's eyes, "But today, you'll have a new family. As soon as you and Marlin say your 'I do's, you won't have to feel like you're alone anymore. Marlin will be there to care for you. Vesta will be there to help you up if you fall down. Who knows? Maybe you'll even have a baby a year from now. Your Mom and Dad probably would have done anything to be here for you today but... aren't they always watching you? Aren't they always loving and caring for you from far away? Sure you can't see them, but they're right here in your heart! You've got to believe that they're happy for you today... maybe even happier than if they were here to take care of you."

Jill smiled through her tears before sniffing. "I'm so glad you're here, Muffy." Jill sighed and lightly wiped the tears from her eyes. "Besides," Jill said, "At least my brother was able to make it."

Suddenly, the door opened. A man with brown hair in a sharp tuxedo walked in with a charming smile.

"Ah, I knew somebody was talking about me," Jack said with a laugh. Jill gasped and grinned, running into her older brother's arms. The last time she had seen him was his own wedding over in Mineral Town. She had missed him so much that she started crying all over again. "Hey now," Jack said wiping away his little sister's tears, "There's no crying until after I do. And then there's quite a bit..." Jill laughed and elbowed her brother in the ribs.

"You shouldn't talk about Ann that way," Jill joked through tears of joy.

"Ann?" Jack questioned, "I was talking about me." Jill and Muffy giggled. After the proper introductions, the three sat down at Jill's small dining room table and talked about the impending wedding.

...

The whole village was talking and preparing for the wedding. Celia, Vesta, Muffy, Jack, and Griffin organized the beach and gathered the townspeople for the ceremony. Marlin was sitting on one of the beach chairs that he had turned towards the ocean. The sun was high in the sky, and soon it would be time to start the wedding. As he looked over the ocean, he tuned out the excited chatter of the townspeople so he could focus on his thoughts. The ceremony would be fairly short, but the rest of his life was a long time. As he pondered, the sun kept rising higher in the sky.

Jill stood at the entrance to the beach, watching the townspeople organize the single most important event of her life. All seemed happy and excited to provide help with the next step of her life. Just a week ago she had been crying over Skye. Now she would be married to Marlin for the rest of her life. Her heart was warm and fuzzy with the thought of always having her best friend around, but cold... why after all this time was her heart still cold? It was supposed to be an exciting and happy day for her as well, but her heart beat calmly inside of her chest. She was supposed to have to keep herself from running down the aisle with excitement, but she knew her steps would be ordinary. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to see the mayor smiling... or she assumed it was a smile. She wouldn't really tell with the large mustache in the way.

"The ceremony will begin in five minutes," mayor Thomas smiled, "Are you ready?" Jill smiled and nodded her head. She watched the mayor walk onto the beach and everyone began to take their seats. Marlin was directed towards the front, standing just to the right of the podium. Jill looked up to the sky. Only two minutes remained now. She went to take her place at the end of the aisle.

...

Skye rubbed his eyes and yawned in his new state of the art curry kitchen. His looks had drawn in ladies from miles away, and his business had been a complete success. Unfortunately, he wasn't doing as well the past couple of days. He was always tired, and while it didn't affect the number of customers he had, he had a feeling that he could be cooking much better than he was. He kept having dreams that kept him awake at night... mostly nightmares. His mind was constantly focused on Jill. Was Jill in trouble? No, he knew she wasn't. He had assigned someone to call him if anything bad happened to her. He wasn't the only one in the area who could hide in plain sight, and as a result he had heard of her impending wedding. The news hadn't come to a shock to him, yet the thought of his love being tied to another for the rest of her life was nearly unbearable. He had kept hoping that the actual wedding would cause his mind to drop the idea for good, but the dreams had only gotten worse as the wedding approached.

Skye rubbed his neck and finished an order of blue curry, his newest server taking it out to the customer. He had pleased many a critic with his cooking, and there was a rumor that a very famous critic would visit him soon. If he didn't stop having these dreams, than he would never be able to pass the judgment the critic would bestow upon him.

"Jill..." Skye mumbled, "Are you married yet? Will you ever leave my thoughts?" Skye yawned again as an order for orange curry came in. Would he be able to cook with love without her there? If he pretended that the critic was Jill he could save himself, but pretending that a fat, balding man of fifty-three was his Jill would be quite the beast to overcome. Skye prepared the orange curry and cooked it in a very shiny pot. He worked himself to the bone by day, most of his money being stored to buy a bigger store in a more populated part of the island. If he kept it up, he could hire more cooks and have two stores running at once. The future for him could only be brighter if Jill somehow found him and decided to live out the rest of her days by his side. Skye absentmindedly stirred the orange curry, smiling a goofy smile at the thought of Jill stirring a pot next to him with a big pregnant belly and a silly toddler running around the kitchen.

Skye shook his head and tasted the curry. It was the most delicious curry he had tasted in quite some time. Skye dished it onto a plate and took the next order. He was almost positive that the daydreaming would stop after Jill was married. He would get the call that evening, and he would never think of her again. Until then...

"Jill..."

...

Jill stood at the end of the aisle, her heart aching. The mayor nodded. That was her cue. Doe-eyed and afraid, she took her first step with her arm linked with her brothers. She looked up to see Marlin, smiling calmly at her. Jill smiled back, walking in step with her brother as the crowd watched her walk down the crafted beach aisle. She took a deep breath and tried to anchor her soul to Marlin's gaze. Wasn't she supposed to feel relieved at Marlin's gaze? All she was doing was looking the part. She didn't panic, but on the inside she knew with absolute certainty that her soul was already anchored to another smile. Even if that smile was farther away than she could ever reach, a connection that strong would take more than this wedding to be broken.

"Who gives away this woman?" The mayor asked. Jack smiled and unhooked his arm from Jill's.

"I do." Jack said, handing her off to Marlin. Jill took Marlin's hand and they both stepped up to the podium. Jack sat in his front row seat with a smirk on his face.

"What's with the smile?" Celia asked Jack quietly. Jack looked over and shrugged too quickly. Celia was suspicious. Did he know something about the wedding that she didn't? He had only talked to his sister for a couple hours this morning, or so he had said. Maybe there would be a surprise. Jack quickly turned back to the podium and looked on, listening for a certain phrase...

Marlin held Jill's hand. He wasn't sure if it was his hand shaking or hers. Perhaps it was both. Jill watched the mayor read from his marriage ceremony book. Marlin looked over at Jill, and Jill looked over at Marlin. In a moment of complete clarity, they both could see what the other really wanted.

"Now, if there are any objections," the mayor started, "speak or stand now. The couple will listen to any concerns and take it to heart before they take their vows."

Marlin and Jill nodded at each other and dropped their hands.

"I object."

The crowd gasped and watched Jill's brother slowly stand up. Jack looked up at his sister and smiled.

"Me too! I object!"

The crowd gasped again and watched Celia stand tall next to Jack. She looked at Marlin and nodded to his surprise.

"Well this is certainly..." the mayor said, flipping through his ceremony book, "a turn of events. Tell us then- Jack- why do you oppose this union today?" Jack cleared his throat and stepped up to his sister. He took both of her hands and stared into her eyes.

"Jill," Jack said, "I know I haven't seen you in a few years, but I can still tell when something's wrong. When you were little, you had a crush on Timothy Coates. You would follow him and me everywhere. Every time you were home, you would talk about him or how you were going to be with him when you were older. One day I asked if you still liked him. I already knew the answer, but you told me 'no'. Do you know how I knew? You stopped following us, you stopped talking to him, you even stopped talking about him. Through every boyfriend you've had I've been able to see the signs. You may think it's different now that you're older, but the fact is that when I came to talk to you this morning, the only thing you talked about is farm work and how much you wished Mom and Dad were here. You didn't talk about Marlin, or how proud you were to be marrying him, or how much you were looking forward to living life with him. It's true you don't have to be completely enamored to be married, but if you rely on someone without caring and loving for them the way a couple in love does, you'll end up resenting the person you're supposed to love the most." Jack stroked the side of his sister's face, brushing away a tear. Jill gave him a broken smile, still in disbelief that he could see through her after so many years away. Marriage had made him more observant and more mature. "Jill, you don't have to be scared to end up alone. You're surrounded by people that care for you. Look at the crowd today. This community took all of this time to create a special day for you. Even if you don't end up marrying Marlin, you still have him as a friend. If you don't love him as more than a friend, isn't friendship enough? Haven't you gotten by just fine until now? Save your love for the one that matters the most. If you don't, you might lose your chance forever." Jill nodded and Jack sat down in his seat. Next, Celia came up and took Marlin by the hands. She looked into his eyes and he blushed, feeling exposed.

"Marlin," Celia smiled, "Remember that conversation we had about need versus love? Well, you heard from her brother about that. You two are friends, but the only thing she would need you for is friendship, and that isn't a reason to get married. Marlin, I've lived with you for years. I know you don't think I was paying attention, but I know more than anybody how lonely you are. I know how lonely it is to live when people don't have as much faith in you as they did when you were a child. I know how awful it feels to not be able to work when it rains, or sometimes just because you don't have the strength to leave your bed. I know how it feels to think that nobody could ever need you because you're too weak but..." Celia blushed, "There are people who need you. You're stronger than you think, and you do more to help than you could imagine. I don't know how Vesta could get along on the farm by herself, especially since I'm much better at cooking than harvesting. I don't know how the people at the bar would survive without you smiling and buying a round or two every once in awhile. And I.. well... I need you too. I need you here when I can't get out of bed. I need you to smile when I'm having a bad morning. I need you to cook my soup when I'm sick, and to carry me to the doctor when I can't move. I need you to be my family, because you're the only family I have and I can't lose my family again. I can't lose you. I need you Marlin... Vesta needs you, we all need you! So before you say I do... try to think of all the people who still need you." Marlin nodded and ruffled Celia's hair. Celia smiled and walked back to her seat.

The crowd murmured as Jill and Marlin faced each other again. Jill hugged Marlin tightly and he smiled, hugging her back.

"So..." Jill whispered, "What do we say?" Marlin chuckled.

"I don't know. Can we just run?" Marlin asked. Jill giggled.

"Alright then, on three." Jill whispered. "One... Two.. Three!"

Jill and Marlin ran hand in hand from in front of the podium, and the crowd laughed and cheered behind them.

"Where are we going?" Marlin shouted. Jill smiled over at him.

"How about the pond?" Jill shouted back. Marlin laughed and they ran all the way up to the pond. Jill and Marlin sat down at the edge and Jill dipped her feet in to cool down. Summer was about to start. The entire village seemed quiet as people made their way back to their homes, hearts still light as they looked towards the future. Jill rested her head on Marlin's shoulder and he smiled, looking out over the pond. Maybe they didn't need to be married to have a bright future. Maybe they just needed a good friend.

"See you at the bar tomorrow?" Jill asked with a silly smile. Marlin chuckled in reply and draped his arm over her shoulder.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

* * *

Okay! That's the end of Chapter Twelve, however, this story is far from over! Okay, maybe not that far, but probably farther than you think. Thanks to everyone for reading, and don't forget to tune in for the next chapter!


	13. What Could Have Been

Hey guys! I wanted to write a little chapter that serves as a summary of the important points of the story that came before these next few chapters. There are still things that I haven't dealt with, and they're just so far back in the story that I'm sure reminding wouldn't hurt. Without further ado, here is a look into what could have been.

* * *

Marlin and Jill sat side by side at the edge of Turtle Pond. After the wedding, Marlin and Jill seamlessly fell back into their friendship. It was almost as if the past year had never happened. Fortunately, it had happened. Both knew that they were wiser for the ordeal, and their friendship was stronger than ever. They knew that their relationship was meant to be a friendship to last through the ages, and it would. Jill would be there for Marlin and his marriage when the time came. She would be happy to stay by him when he was on his deathbed, and she would always be happy to buy him a drink or two at the bar. Marlin felt the same. Though life was hectic and had thrown unexpected turns at both of them, their friendship had survived unscathed.

"So," Jill said, her eyes following the turtle swimming in the pond, "What do you think our marriage would have been like?" Marlin followed her eyes to the turtle and started watching it swim gracefully beneath the murky surface.

"Well," Marlin sighed with a smile, "Despite the whole 'love' and 'need' thing, I think we would have been just fine. We're friends, and friends normally rely on each other." Jill smiled and lifted her head.

"Yeah..." Jill sighed happily, "I'm sure we would have been fine. I mean, I do think you're pretty cute." Marlin chuckled and lowered his head, blue eyes sparkling. "I just wonder if everything will be okay in the end. I mean, I know I'm not that old, but it would be nice to have somebody there to care for me when I couldn't do it myself." Marlin lifted his head and smiled at Jill.

"You heard what your brother said," Marlin smirked, "If you ever get sick, there are a lot of people here who would lend a helping hand. I know Lumina's been pretty busy taking care of Rock, but she'd probably be there to cook for you in an instant. Muffy would make sure you were never bored. Vesta and I would come over and make sure your crops were okay. Dr. Hardy is rarely busy nowadays, and the rest of the townspeople would probably help, too. You've been here for years... that counts for something here." Jill gave Marlin a goofy grin.

The two sat silently for a little while before Jill rested her hands in her lap. Her violet eyes focused on a patch of flowers nearby as she listened to her heart.

"So where do we go from here?" Jill asked, "What will you do now that our relationship is bound strictly in the confines of friendship?" Marlin smiled.

"I was thinking about marrying Celia," Marlin stretched contentedly before continuing, "Not right away, but... She needs me. I know she loves me. We've been in that same house for years together. I guess something was bound to happen sooner or later. I guess the first move she made was times pretty badly but... you know... now that I think about it, maybe it was right on time."

"Huh?" Jill uttered, "That basically threw me into Skye's arms."

"Yeah, that's what I meant," Marlin said, "I know it was painful, but maybe that was the Goddess' way of saying that marrying me would be a mistake. Maybe it was a sign that there was a better life waiting for you if you waited for someone else... but what do I know? I'm not saying that a thief is good news but... if you fix him up... I guess he couldn't be all that bad for you." Jill smiled.

"He's not coming back, Marlin," Jill frowned, "I don't think I'll ever see him again."

"Life is a funny thing. You never know what's going to happen." Marlin chuckled, "Who knows? Cody might be your soulmate." Jill laughed and elbowed Marlin.

"Unless I turn into the most beautiful metal sculpture ever created, I don't think it'll happen." Jill smiled and looked back at the pond. The sunlight glittered on the surface through the leafy trees, and somehow Jill felt as if everything would be alright if she kept on existing.

"Hey Marlin?" Jill asked. Marlin looked over at Jill.

"What is it?" Marlin said expectantly.

"I do love you, you know," Jill smiled, "If I didn't have you as a friend, I don't know what I'd do. Lumina is so focused on her marriage with Rock I hardly get to see her anymore. I have a lot of friends in this valley, but I'd be lying if I said anybody could replace the space you'll always have in my heart." Marlin chuckled in response, and together they looked into the future. They were scared, but at least they had each other. The true power of friendship was never anything to scoff at.

Together, they faced the year head-on. Marlin married Celia, and Lumina became pregnant with twins. Nami and Gustafa decided to travel the world together, and Flora and Carter maintained their rocky relationship up in the caves. Jill only got better at farming by herself, and she won many contests for both animals and vegetables. She was humble and kind, but strong. Her friends helped her when she became insecure or unsteady, and she learned so many things from the people around her. The valley became more of a home than she could have ever hoped for, but her journey in life and in love was far from over...

* * *

Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I enjoy all of your comments. I'm so sad that this story is going to be ending at all... T_T Let's not think about that now. The first part of section two will be up shortly! I hope you all enjoy it!


	14. Rolling in the Deep

Hey Guys! I've started part two! I hope read, enjoy, and review!

* * *

Three years. Jill stood silently in the secret compartment of her barn, surrounded by all the money she had given away just three years ago. Buying seeds from local vendors and owning your own property in a village with little to no property taxes had many perks. The work wasn't for everybody, heck, when she'd inherited the farm the work hadn't even been for her, but it was very profitable after she had put the work in. Three years was all it had taken to fill a room with golden coins. Jill slowly sat on the ground as the last rays of the sun twinkled through the hatch above her head. She put her knees against her chest and sighed deeply, discontented with the feeling of being surrounded by gold. As she looked around at the countless bags of treasure she was faced with the reality that nothing she could buy with this money could ever buy her happiness. A nagging voice in the back of her head constantly reminded her that only one thing could really make her happy. But it was impossible. After three years, Jill was certain that she would never see Skye's face again. Getting up with yet another sigh, Jill lost her balance and stood on her ankle.

"Ouch!" Jill shouted, looking down at the red skin. Was that all it took to sprain an ankle? Jill tested it and found that a twinge of pain traveled up her leg every time she dared to take a step. Jill sighed once more, this time in annoyance, and painfully climbed the ladder into the barn. Jill closed the hatch and curled into a ball over it. Was this how life was to be from now on? Was she to injure herself this easily and this often? If so, she was in for a life of pain she had not signed up for. At 25, her life looked more bleak than when she'd first inherited the farm. Success, as it turned out, was almost as bad as failure as a deterrent from the life she was currently living. Her outlook, however, hadn't always been so pessimistic.

After she and Marlin had decided not to get married, she had been ecstatic about her decision. For about a year, she had focused all of her attention on her animals and her friendships in town. She had been joyful and successful. She had become great friends with Muffy and Griffin. She helped Lumina through her pregnancy and helped Celia see even more good in Marlin than she had seen before. She was so happy for them when they got married. Some of the townspeople were confused when Marlin got married to Celia so soon after he had tried to marry Jill, but all confusion was put to rest when the I do's were said and congratulations were given.

That year had truly been amazing. She dug up interesting treasures from the mine with Flora and Carter, and even helped Cody with some critiques of his work. She had helped Galen and Nina around their house and even cooked supper for them on occasion. She had stayed up late on the beach one night and swore that she saw a mermaid... but she had been pretty drunk at the time. Despite the amazing year she was having she visited the bar almost every night...

In the second year without seeing Skye, Jill had maintained these relationships. She went and visited Lumina and the twins, whom Lumina had named Vivian and Frederick, babysitting on occasion. She frequented the bar and tried anything she could to avoid spending an evening alone. She was constantly invited for supper over at Vesta's farm, and she often cooked and brought dinner over to the bar for Muffy and Griffin before the drinking hours began. She worked hard, and for awhile she believed that she would be okay without Skye. It didn't matter if he never came back. The love was finally starting to fade... or at least... she was able to hide it from herself. If she had to take care of herself for the rest of her life, she knew she wouldn't go wanting for companionship. Her friends had lots of love for her. Even still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had made the wrong decision.

When the third year without Skye rolled around, Jill began to feel an unbearable ache in her heart. She started to notice things that she had never noticed before. Not just about being alone, but about how easily her body was damaged. She got sprains from work more often than she used to. When she looked in the mirror, she looked older somehow. There were no wrinkles, but her eyes weren't as bright and hopeful as they used to be. She didn't laugh so loudly anymore. It was like she was turning into her mother... and the reminder of her departed mother only made the ache more prominent. She didn't even have a mother she could tell everything to at the end of the day. Jill was in a rut now, that was all. She needed something or someone to spice up her life... but in a place like forget-me-not valley it wasn't likely to happen.

Jill hoisted herself out of her hidden treasure trove and stood up with a wince. The beginning of the fourth year was knocking at the door.

"A nice drink should lessen the pain," Jill muttered to herself, unaware of which of her pains she was talking about. She knew for certain that more than one drink was needed to lessen all of them.

...

"You okay Jill?"

Jill's eyes groggily found their way to Muffy's blurred face. A set of six concerned eyes looked down on her, searching her for something she had hidden away long ago. Jill put on a big smile to make the concern go away. It didn't work.

"Fine- now." Jill replied. She had lost count of her drinks awhile ago. For some reason, she just wanted to drink. She wanted to feel good. She did feel good! What was she sad about again?

"Here, have some water hon. You won't know the difference." Muffy said, setting a glass of water in front of her. Jill snickered and drank the water slowly. "There now, that's not so bad is it?" Muffy asked, "Do you want to tell me what's wrong now?" Jill set down her glass and teetered uneasily on her seat. Griffin cleaned glasses behind the counter, nonchalantly listening in on the conversation. Muffy and Griffin had become wonderful friends of Jill, which was why they were more and more concerned each day she stepped into the bar for a drink. There was something off about her now; a certain air of hopelessness filled the air around her now when she wasn't paying enough attention to put on a smile.

"I-" Jill said slowly, "I don't feel so good." Griffin looked at Muffy and gave a small nod. Muffy sighed in reply and helped Jill stand up. Friend or no, Jill was still about her weight. Griffin wasn't allowed to leave the bar and Marlin didn't really have much of a reason to stop by anymore, which meant that Muffy was given the honor of escorting the drunken patrons of the Blue Bar to their houses and/ or toilets.

"I gathered as much," Muffy sighed, draping Jill's arm over her shoulders, "Let's get you home before you pass out."

The walk home was uncomfortable and unsteady. Muffy wasn't that strong, so Jill found herself on her hands and knees more than once on the blurred path to her farm house. Muffy opened the quaint little door quickly and ushered Jill inside. Jill barely made it to her bathroom before puking her guts out in the toilet, Muffy holding her hair back for her. Jill had been drinking a lot lately, but tonight had been the worst night in history. Tonight she had finally realized that Skye wouldn't come back, no matter how much she wished it was true. Jill gave a courtesy flush for Muffy as she sobbed the despair she'd been hiding into the toilet.

"Jill," Muffy sighed lightly, "I know something's wrong. Happy people don't drink this much, and they certainly don't cry like that." Jill's shoulders quaked underneath Muffy's comforting hand. "Is it because of that love you described all those years ago?" Jill wailed into the toilet bowl and Muffy knelt down beside her. "I remember you saying that. It was so beautiful at the time but... but maybe you're not missing out as much as you think you are. I mean, there comes a time in a girl's life when if she wants to get married, she'll have to settle. That's what happened with Chris and Wally. They have Hugh and are plenty happy together! Maybe... Maybe you just need to find someone you'll be okay with... I don't know about you but-" Muffy choked back some tears of her own before continuing, "I hate seeing you like this. You can't like feeling like this. It's time to suck it up and move on before you destroy what good you do have."

Jill sniffed before vomiting into the toilet once more, the pungent smell of stomach acid mixed with alcohol making her eyes even more watery. Muffy was right. She did need to suck it up. She was better than hovering inches above a toilet filled with her own mess. Jill flushed the toilet one more time and sat wearily on the cold linoleum, dizzy from the alcohol and the wretching.

"Muffy," Jill sniffed, "I did the right thing... Why am I not happy? Can I really not live without a guy?" Muffy frowned.

"It's hard going through life alone," Muffy smiled knowingly, "I think it's safe to say that we both know that much is true. I know that if anybody can make it through life without a man, it's you. But, I also know that you have so much to give and such an amazing life to share. I wish there was some perfect guy that could sweep you off your feet." Muffy sighed. "Don't get your hopes up, I think men of that caliber are almost extinct, but I still wish you could have one."

Jill smiled a pathetic smile and stood up shakily, giving Muffy a big hug before walking over to the sink to wash off her face. She smelled terrible, and from what she could make out of the mirror, she looked pretty terrible too. She was just drunk enough not to care, and that was okay with her. Muffy helped Jill into bed and tucked her in like a child before leaving.

Jill looked up at her ceiling and listened to the night air. Everything outside was so peaceful... she wished she felt that way inside. Inside she was so sad. She had been lying to herself this whole time. She wanted to think that Skye was coming back. True love didn't fade... but true love didn't always come back. All she wanted was to have Skye come home to her. Finally, she could admit it. Jill relaxed and sighed, the taste of alcohol still on her breath. She knew she wouldn't remember most of this when she woke up, but as she drifted off to sleep she was reassured by the fact that somebody believed in her... Even if true love never returned.

...

"She's not doing good, boss. She's been drinking an awful lot lately. She's been escorted home three..."

Skye sat in a leather recliner in a nice apartment. His business had taken off, and he was now the proud owner of three restaurants. His black hair was cropped short, and a stud was displayed subtly in his ear. Still, he was unmistakably the same Skye who had left Forget-me-not-valley all those years ago. His heart beat quickly at the news. After all this time...

Soon he would also be making his television debut with a beginner's cooking show. He was to do a three part session on cooking with curry, and if all went well he might even get his own show. Life was face paced and exciting, but he had left his heart in the valley. He had assigned one of his previous lackeys to keep an eye on Jill so he could know what she was doing, or know if she got sick or injured. Many women (and men) had offered him many things during his stay in Japan. No offer came close to the joy and hope that Jill not marrying Marlin had given him.

"Boss?" The muffled voice asked.

"Hm?" Skye asked, "Oh, yes, thanks for the news. I'll send you the monthly payment tomorrow morning."

Skye hung up the phone and tapped his fingers rapidly on the arm of the recliner. He was surrounded by everything he had ever wanted. Well, almost everything. Even after almost four years, Jill still haunted his dreams. Her smile, her understanding, her surprise... Skye stopped tapping his fingers suddenly and stood up. After his filming experiment, he planned to go visit her. Winter would be coming soon, and he was take a small vacation to the valley. He hoped she recognized him... He hoped she wouldn't be sad for too much longer. There was no other woman who could replace her in his heart. He hated that she was depressed, but he also knew she'd resent him if he tried to step in and save her from all of her problems.

Skye stood up and sighed. What could he do? What sign could he give her that he still loved her? A letter was too direct, and curry rice wouldn't keep in the mail. Skye ran his hand through his hair and walked over to his fridge to grab a glass of water. Now wasn't the time to just burst in and confess his undying love. He needed a better moment. Maybe if she needed something... Skye drank his water and put the glass in the sink. He couldn't think of anything she needed except to be happy. How could he make her happy from here? Skye picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello? Yeah, can you drop something off in Forget-me-not-valley for me?" Skye paused and then replied, "At the farmer's house."

...

The light filtered in through Jill's windows onto her face. She winced, first at the light and second at the smell of urine and vomit that clung to her clothes. Her hair was plastered to the side of her face and neck from sweating through the night, and she had a hangover which made her want to never drink again.

"Ung..." Jill groaned, looking at her clock. It was 10:00 in the morning. Jill pushed off her covers and stumbled over to her kitchen, promptly downing two glasses of water and a couple pieces of indigo grass she had found in the summer. She still didn't feel well, but it would get her partially through work. Jill took off her clothes and walked to the shower to attempt to get rid of the plethora of gross smells that seemed adamant on following her for the remainder of the day. Half an hour and two teeth brushing sessions later, Jill opened the door to find a package at her feet.

It was a small box wrapped in brown paper and string. Jill blinked in surprise. There was no postage. The only thing written on it was 'This will help.'. Jill brought the package inside and pulled the string. It fell away from the package elegantly, and Jill unwrapped the box to find a box of hangover pills from the city. She blinked lightly and then smiled warmly. Muffy must have dropped these off for her early in the morning. Jill opened the bottle and took the pill, sighing in relief. It wouldn't be an immediate cure, but it would definitely help her through the day. So, hangover still making her head pound, Jill started her work.

It wasn't long before the hangover pill started working. Jill let out her animals and took watering slowly so she wouldn't collapse. Dr. Hardy was nice and all, but he could get pretty scary when you fainted more than once on the job without a good reason. Dr. Trent was a little more forgiving, but he wouldn't be in the valley until Wednesday. Jill shaded her eyes from the sun, trying to enjoy the bright day that blessed the valley. She didn't have much luck. But, hangover quickly fading, she was able to hold in her curses and screams of anguish long enough for them to disappear into the fragrant late fall air.

...

"Do you think Jill's okay?" Marlin asked. Vesta looked up from her section of the field.

"I haven't noticed anything that would make me think otherwise." Vesta said earnestly, "Why do you ask?" Marlin shrugged.

"I just have this feeling..." Marlin glanced over in the direction of Jill's farm. Lately, he felt as if things weren't right between them. He felt as if he had betrayed her. Even though they both made the decision to split, he didn't know if he would make the same decision now. He was truly happy with Celia. Sure, married life was challenging, but he wouldn't trade being married for being single again. If he had known how miserable Jill would have been so soon after his marriage... Marlin sighed and looked back over his section of the field.

Jill and Marlin had remained friends, but lately when Jill came over for dinner she seemed less like herself. It was as if living these past few years without him had drained all of her will to be the legendary farmer she was. Marlin scratched his head. He felt as if this was partially his fault... but there was nothing he could do about it now. How could he make her happy again when he was married to another woman? Sure, Celia was understanding, but she was his wife and came first in his life. He would defend both Jill and Celia with his life, but keeping Celia happy occupied most of his time now.

"I say don't worry too much about it," Vesta said, "Just focus on work and let nature take its course." Marlin crossed his arms.

"Take its course?" Marlin questioned, "You make it sound like I should leave her alone completely. She is my friend, you know."

"I know," Vesta said, "But it's pretty damn odd to have a female best friend other than your wife. Besides, she'll either find another man or be at peace by herself. You've got to let her find out for herself." Marlin sighed and looked over at Jill's farm once more.

"And what if I don't want to leave her alone?" Marlin asked. Vesta stopped her work suddenly and turned to Marlin.

"Then you have some work to do on yourself." Vesta said, hands on her hips, "If you can't leave her alone, then you should have thought twice about marrying someone else. You've made decisions in your life, and you have to live with those decisions. I chose to take over this farm instead of settle down. I'm living with that decision right now. Did I make the right one? Who knows. All I know is, I'm living the life I chose the best I can."

Marlin was silent. He turned back to his field. He made decisions... only the Goddess knew if these decisions he had made would benefit the people around him or not. Marlin went back to work with thoughts of decisions on his mind. He had to try his hardest to live his life in the best way he could while honoring the decisions he had made. Marlin nodded, but his heart ached. He missed his friend. He missed the smile that made his heart happy. He never imagined a life without Jill by his side... but now he was faced with being forced to live that way. Wasn't there any happy medium?

Marlin finished his work at the field and found himself walking towards Jill's farm. He walked to the entrance and saw her in the back brushing one of her cows. She looked more tired than he ever remembered seeing her. Her actions were riddled with weariness, as if she had just been through the battle of her life. She had a sad smile on her face. Marlin started forward, but his feet wouldn't move any further. He watched for a few more second before leaving. He walked to his house with his hands in his pockets and traces of frustration lingering in his tense expression.

"Welcome home, honey!" Celia said as Marlin stepped inside. Marlin's head snapped up in surprise, taking in Celia's presence. She shone like the sun; Her smile lit the whole room with warmth. Marlin smiled in reply. He couldn't stay frustrated when she was so happy just to see him. He hadn't made the wrong decision after all. He had found home.

"Hi, Celia," Marlin smiled warmly, "You seem happy today." Celia giggled and nodded. She had on her apron and had flower all over her hands and on her cheek.

"I've been making pies. I thought you'd like a fresh apple pie. You know that tree you and Jill planted by the spring? Well, I've been gathering the apples that have fallen off because nobody was collecting them." Celia smiled, "Would you like a slice? I just took it out of the oven."

Marlin remembered planting the tree with Jill a few years ago. But now, the apple pie wafted through the air and to his nostrils. His fond memories of Jill would always remain. Slowly but surely, better ones would be made with Celia. And that... that was just fine with him.

...

Jill looked over at the entrance to her farm. She swore someone had just been there. Maybe the hangover was making her go crazy. She was feeling much better than she was that morning, but something kept bothering her. Muffy almost never went to town. Even when she did, she wouldn't pick up hangover pills. She was a big fan of herbal medicines and wouldn't give her something that she didn't believe in. Stranger still was the writing on the package. She didn't recognize it. She knew the handwriting of most of the villagers. It was likely that someone from out of town had dropped the package at her house. But why? Who had the resources to know that she had gotten drunk last night and the care to send her hangover pills that morning? She wanted so badly to think that it was Skye... but he was far away from the valley now. There's no way he could have gotten the package to her door. If he had, she wanted to believe that he would have stayed.

Jill sighed and wiped the sweat of the day off of her forehead. Maybe she would find out someday. After getting horribly drunk last night and becoming horribly hungover that morning, she felt better. She was optimistic. Would she do it again? Probably not. Jill watched the last rays of sun disappear beyond the horizon before she walked inside and collapsed on her bed. Comforted by the guardian angel who sent the hangover pills, she was out like a light with a little bit of hope for tomorrow.

* * *

I just want to say thank you to all of you that have commented and encouraged me to continue. You guys actually make me write faster, so keep up the good work! I hope to have the next chapter up as soon as I can. Even though I have a busy life, I love being able to let you guys have fun reading my story. I'm seriously happy. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you stay tuned for the next chapter!


	15. Sunrise, Sunset

Hey guys! I'm so sorry for the long hiatus, but I just went through my second to last semester of college! And my last semester starts in just a couple of days! As this story starts to wind down I just want to say that I'm so thankful to everyone reading and encouraging me to continue. You guys rock! Well, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

"That's it," Dr. Hardy sighed, "You have to stay in bed for at least a week. I'll get volunteers from the village to take care of your animals and your meals, but don't you dare leave this house or you'll be sent to the city."

Jill sighed and turned her head towards the ceiling, too tired to argue with the doctor's orders. This had been Muffy's doing, she was sure. After last night's drinking escapades, Muffy had taken her home. Jill had woken up to the sound of knocking on her door. Now, buried in her covers, she watched Dr. Hardy leave slowly out of the corner of her eye. It had to have been Muffy or Griffin. Jill lightly coughed and felt her head swim. Maybe bed rest would be good for her. A farmer needed a break every five years or so, right? She was glad to have an excuse not to get out of bed, but being alone with her thoughts was not something she would enjoy. It meant having to face everything she had been drinking so hard to forget.

Three years. Skye's face still haunted her after three years. Recently she had been dreaming about him every night. He was always just out of reach, usually being comforted by some other person because she was just too far away to touch his heart. Every night she woke up from the dream, her heart ached as if she had lost something important to live. Frankly, she didn't see much of a point in raising animals if nobody was there to help and admire your work. It wasn't just her work she was dissatisfied with, either. Life had begun to become rather dull now that she had no prospects. While she didn't believe the entire point of a life to be having to share it, sharing her life was a privilege that she desperately needed to keep working as hard as she had been. She wondered if Skye was coming back, and if he would even want to spend his life in such a small valley with some melodramatic rancher. If he wasn't... was life worth living? If she couldn't share her life and her feelings with someone, what was life for? One thing was for sure: If Skye wasn't coming back eventually, she would give up on everything. Thankfully, she was asleep before she could think another word.

Almost as soon as Jill had closed her eyes the first rays of sun flooded into her side window and onto her face. Her entire body ached, and she was parched. There was a small knock at the door before it opened, Romana walking slowly inside. She was accompanied by Sebastian, who gave a bow and made his way to the kitchen to begin making breakfast with the basket of supplies he had carried in the crook of his arm from the mansion. Jill sat up slowly.

"Thank you for coming." Jill said softly. The old woman gave Jill a warm smile.

"Oh, it's no trouble!" Romana chuckled, "No trouble at all!" Romana made her way over to the kitchen to help Sebastian. Being a small woman, the counters were uncomfortably high for her. Sebastian got to work on a few omelets while Romana toasted bread in the oven. Jill watched them working for a moment before taking a look outside. Takakura trudged through the snow, working his way to the chicken sheds to feed them. How many years did he have left? What about Romana and Sebastian? Nina and Galen, too. Patrick and Kasey were getting older now. Would it be five? Ten years? Fifteen if she was lucky. Who could ever replace the old souls of the valley? It seemed that the ancient feel and conduct would die with their older residents. What would become of the valley if more and more new people moved in? Jill looked back to her kitchen to see Romana and Sebastian putting the finishing touches on breakfast. She wasn't guaranteed another five, ten, or fifteen years either. Perhaps they would all out live her. If they didn't, perhaps the valley would change so subtly that she wouldn't know it until she was eighty. She imagined all of life was this way, no matter where she ended up living.

"Breakfast is served!" Sebastian said, walking over to Jill and serving her a wonderful looking omelet with lots of vegetables and toast made of grainy bread that was supposed to be healthy. Though health was the focus of the meal, Jill acknowledged that it was almost too delicious to be healthy. She knew that Romana was incredibly wealthy, so she held back from asking the price.

"That was wonderful," Jill sighed happily, "Where did you learn to cook like that, Sebastian?" Sebastian chuckled lightly.

"You wouldn't know it by looking at me," Sebastian started, "but before I started faithfully serving Romana's family, I traveled around the world. I saw the sights, learned to fend for myself, fell in love... it was a beautiful time in my life. The woman I fell in love with loved to have me cook for her. It has a special place in my heart. Bringing joy to people through cooking always reminds me of those times." Romana nodded wistfully with a knowing smile on her face.

"But Sebastian... why did you become a butler? Why didn't you have a family or do more traveling?" Jill asked. She wondered what was so important that Sebastian couldn't go back to the woman he loved.

"She was betrothed," Sebastian explained with a sad smile, "to a family that had political ties her family couldn't pass up. She agreed with the marriage. I was her last 'fling' before being married." Sebastian chuckled as he saw the pity in Jill's eyes. "Don't have pity on me. 'Twas I that was the fool. I fell in love. I vowed never to love another woman. So, I took up the butler's life, and I found an unexpected family... in a less traditional sense, but I look back on life and find that I wouldn't have it any other way."

"You've been a wonderful companion all these years," Romana said reassuringly, "You're more of a family member than Rock will ever be." With a matter of fact nod, Romana got up and took the plates to the kitchen. Sebastian chuckled and Jill smiled. Maybe there was hope. A family didn't always have to be what you planned.

"Didn't you miss her?" Jill asked, "I mean... after you left." Sebastian gave a soft sigh and looked out of the window behind Jill. The snow fell softly from the sky, reminding him of the open wounds that had taken him years to nurse back to health.

"Of course I did," Sebastian smiled, "I miss her still." Then, Sebastian got up. "Even so, I've learned to live my life in a most satisfactory way. Love can be found in many places, even when you're not looking."

Sebastian and Romana stayed for a little while longer before leaving. There were two hours until somebody came to prepare lunch. Jill nestled into her covers once more and closed her eyes. Her fever blazed. Would she still miss Skye when she was old and silver haired? Would her world weary eyes and wrinkled face glance up at the sky every night and still wonder where he was? After much effort, Jill fell into a restless sleep. This was bound to be a long week.

...

"She hasn't left the house in days, boss. I don't know how bad it is, but there have people saying she should be sent to the city. And not just for the fever."

"Why haven't they sent her yet?" Skye quickly inquired, sitting up straight in his armchair in his apartment. Truthfully, he wasn't doing so well himself. His restaurants were booming and the TV special had gotten high ratings, but knowing that Jill was sick and drinking herself to borderline alcoholism had shaken him. He was making too many silly mistakes. Just yesterday he added salt to his coffee instead of sugar. He made the same mistake just this morning.

"Something about her not wanting to leave the animals. Heh. A farmer through and through, eh boss?" Skye gave a small smile

"Yeah, that sounds like her."

"Hey uh, boss?"

"What?"

"It's been over three years. Why are you still asking about her? I never imagined you coming back. With you bein' so busy and all, why don't you just forget about the lady?"

Silence. Skye struggled to keep the phone in his hand. Why hadn't he gone back? Wasn't it obvious? He had left Jill in order to find a new life. Until he was every bit of the man that Jill could be proud of, he didn't want to set foot in front of her.

"Boss?"

Skye struggled with himself. He had stayed away for so long but... could he go back now? Was he ready?

"You still there?" Skye snapped back to the conversation.

"Yeah. I think... I think it's time to pay a visit to the Valley."

"Wow, really?"

"I'll look different. If anyone asks, I'm her friend from the city that she talks about. Don't give me away. Keep everything a secret, alright? And make sure she stays safe."

"Don't worry, boss. We've been working together for five years! I haven't messed up yet, have I? My Mom's cooking her meals for tomorrow as we speak."

"Good."

"Alrighty, boss. I'll see ya soon."

"Wait." There was silence on the line.

"What, boss?"

"Thank you for everything."

"No problem, boss."

...

Jill opened her eyes groggily to the sound of her door being opened.

"Jill?" A voice rang out. Jill sat up carefully, her body quivering. The light turned on. Celia walked further inside and shut the door behind her. Jill smiled lightly and looked over at her clock. It was day four of bed rest. "Marlin's taking care of the animals. I'm just here to drop off the food." Jill smiled and slipped out of her bed. She had been getting steadily worse as the week went on, though she hadn't been working. She had been trying to eat to keep her energy up, but she physically couldn't keep more than a couple bites of food down per meal.

"Thanks for coming over, Celia," Jill said warmly, "What did you make?" Celia went over to Jill's kitchen and Jill followed slowly, her feet dragging across the dark green carpet that reminded her of summer. She wished it were summer. Celia watched Jill warily from the kitchen. It was so strange to see someone who was normally so full of life looking like she was about to collapse. Celia waited for Jill to walk up to the counter before hugging her suddenly. Jill was surprised. She was too tired to hug back.

"Oh Jill," Celia whispered, "How did you get like this?" Jill wished she could have gotten angry. She wished she had the energy to push Celia away. She wish she could have screamed and stomped to the bar. Instead, she started to shake even more with the effort of standing. A tear fell down her cheek and onto Celia's shoulder.

"I hate this..." Jill whispered, "I hate it all so much." Celia hugged tighter as Jill wept silently. She didn't have the energy to start sobbing. She was getting dizzier by the moment. Celia felt Jill weaken and led her back over to the bed. Jill wearily pulled her covers up to her chest and looked out of her window. Snow was falling softly to the ground. She was still so tired... This couldn't just be the fever. Maybe she had been drinking too much. Celia walked over to the kitchen and put the food that her family had prepared into the fridge. Jill heard Celia mumbling something before she fell unconscious.

"-and Apple Pie for dessert... if you're up for it." Celia ended, closing the fridge. "How does that sound?" Celia looked over to the bed and noticed that Jill had passed out. Celia walked over to the bed and felt Jill's forehead. She was burning up. Maybe she did need to go to the city. Celia felt Jill's pulse. It was weak, and Jill was clammy. "Oh no..." Celia said, her heart racing. "Marlin! Marlin!" Celia opened the door quickly and ran right into a tall, black-haired man. She didn't care who he was. He looked like he could help. "Help..." Celia said, "Can you carry her to the clinic? We need to get Dr. Hardy right away." The man nodded and walked quickly inside.

Jill felt herself being picked up. This was different than being carried home by Marlin. These arms were more steady. She felt the cold air against her skin and shrunk closer. He was warm. Jill looked up at his face, but her vision was blurred.

"Stay with me, Jill."

Jill tried her hardest to focus. Slowly, his face came into view. It was the face she had longed to see for three long years. The face she had waited for and fallen into depression when she tried to let it go. For one lucid moment, she gasped, a tear falling down her face. Was she hallucinating? Why did he have black hair.

"Skye...?" Jill whispered. Then, everything went black.

...

Jill woke up to the lull of hushed, concerned voices whispering her name along with foreign medicines and doubts of waking. The light in Dr. Hardy's house was bright, and made Jill squint when she cautiously opened her eyes. Her whole body ached with the memory of the fever that had broken only hours ago. Jill sat up carefully and looked around. There was a curtain around her, and four shadows just outside. She recognized the shadow of Dr. Hardy. She assumed one shadow was Dr. Trent, and the female shape must have been Ellie. One tall shadow was left. Her heart started racing, remembering the face she had seen the last moment before she slipped into unconsciousness. For the first time in a long time, she dared to hope.

Suddenly, the tall shadow turned towards her. Dr. Hardy's shadow reached out towards the curtain. One by one, they stepped inside. Dr. Hardy, Dr. Trent, Ellie, and... Jill's eyes widened in disbelief. Skye stepped into the closed off room with cropped black hair and a button down gray shirt. He looked different, but she knew it was him. Skye walked quickly over to Jill and knelt down in front of her, wiping away tears she didn't know were falling down her face.

"Hey... hey... Don't cry..." Skye whispered, "I'm here." Jill hugged him as tightly as she could and sobbed harder than she had in the last three years. Skye hugged her back gently, wishing he never had to let go again.

"Now.." Dr. Hardy started, "What was your name again? Stan was it?"

"Steiner." Skye said quickly. Jill quickly grew tired and dropped her arms from Skye. She knew it was him. She knew he couldn't use his real name for risk of people in the valley remembering the Phantom Thief by the same name and face. Not much crime happened in the valley. She wouldn't be surprised if the legend of the Phantom Thief went on for a hundred years or more. Skye helped Jill lie down.

"And... how do you know Jill again?" Dr. Hardy asked, scratching his head. Skye smiled warmly down at Jill and stroked her hair.

"I'm an old friend from the city." Skye replied, "I've only been to the valley once before now. We mostly keep up through the phone." Dr. Hardy looked at Jill. Jill nodded faintly and smiled to let Dr. Hardy know she was alright with Skye being so close to her. Dr. Hardy relaxed and gave a small sigh.

"I suppose I'll give you two some time to catch up. Don't wear her out too much, now." Dr. Hardy said. Dr. Hardy took his leave with Dr. Trent and Ellie close behind. All of them were mystified at how quickly she had seemed to heal. Maybe the medicines had worked. They had a feeling that Steiner had something more to do with it than any of the medicines did. Ellie closed the curtains behind her and the three went on their weekly walk to Goddess Pond, leaving the two alone.

Skye gently caressed Jill's face and smiled down at her. Jill lightly grasped his other hand in hers. Her heart was overwhelmingly full . After all this time, he had come back. She didn't know if she could make it without love, and now it was right in front of her. Well... assuming he actually wanted to stay. She had no idea what he had been up to the past three years. Maybe he still had things to take care of. Maybe he had really moved on and found a better life... with someone else. But feeling his warm hand against her face made her heart leap again. She only hoped that his being here meant that he had been feeling everything she had felt the past three years. The loneliness, the struggle, the unhappiness...

"Skye..." Jill whispered, reaching up to touch his face, "Is it really you?" Skye bent down closer to Jill so she wouldn't have to reach as far. Her soft, clammy hand ran along his face. Skye leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here to take care of you," Skye whispered, brushing a sweat-soaked strand of hair from Jill's face, "But I-" Skye sighed, and then continued. If he could share his struggles with anybody, it was Jill. "I wanted to become a better person. When I met you, I knew you were different. You saw through the Phantom Thief and managed to see me. After you gave me everything you had I knew that the only way I could repay you was giving you all that I had. I had to give you myself. I just... I hadn't seen the real me in so long that I forgot who that was... and I knew that person I hadn't been in such a long time couldn't possibly be good enough for you. You deserve better. So I- I went out into the world to become... better."

Jill looked up warmly at Skye. She used the little strength she had left to sit up. Skye looked at her wearily, and Jill rested her head on his shoulder.

"Did you miss me?" Jill asked. Skye laughed.

"More than you could imagine," Skye replied, "I even had an informant in the village give me updates. I didn't know how lonely you would be. But hearing that you didn't get married to Marlin gave me hope that you were still waiting on me." Jill smiled lightly.

"Lonely doesn't even begin to explain what it was like without you for the past three years..." Jill said softly, playing with one of Skye's hands. "I felt as if my soulmate was gone. I didn't know how much I loved you until I thought you were never coming back. I guess... the more I gave up on the idea of having you with me, the more I drank to forget having to spend the rest of my life alone... or with someone that could never make me as happy as you could have." Skye lifted Jill's chin off of his shoulder and gently kissed her pale lips. Jill's heart raced, fireworks exploding under her skin. She was dizzy from taking everything in.

Skye pulled away from Jill, smiling down at her. Jill smiled giddily up at him, tiredness all but forgotten. They were like this for awhile before Jill dared to speak.

"Now, what's all this about an informant?" Jill prodded. Skye laughed nervously.

"Well, he can't stay an informant if you know he's informing now, can he?" Skye replied. Jill frowned.

"No, but..." Jill paused, "Does this mean you're leaving again?"

Skye was silent.

"I don't know." Skye finally answered, "I just signed a two year contract that gives me my own cooking show. Being a changed man, I really should show up and do my job. I would also have to sell all of my restaurants." Skye looked down sadly and Jill and stroked the side of her face. "I don't want to leave you.. and even if I do I'll make sure to write to you." A tear fell from Jill's eye. It was so nice to have Skye right next to her, and she knew that he would come back but... she hated the thought of not being close to him for another two years. "Don't cry.." Skye whispered, wiping the tears from her tired eyes. "Can you live without me for another two years? I promise you I will be back here the day my contract ends."

"I-" Jill stopped herself. She had lived without him for three years. Sure, it had almost killed her, but she knew he was coming back this time. As much as she wanted him by her side, knowing that he wanted to go pursue his dream and prove to her that he had changed would hold her over for a couple more years. "I think I'll be just fine without you for a little longer." Skye breathed a sigh of relief and squeezed Jill's hand.

"Good. But I'm not leaving the Valley until you're one hundred percent better." Skye said warmly, brushing a strand of sweat-soaked hair off of her clammy, beautiful face. Jill game a large smile and felt her heart swell with excitement. She was feeling better already.

...

The next week was paradise for both Skye and Jill. She was approved to go home later the day she had awakened, and Skye spent every waking moment he had with her. He cooked for her morning, noon, and night, and talked about the world outside of the valley. They watched old cartoons together and wired the TV so that Jill would be able to see Skye's cooking show when it aired. When Skye wasn't with Jill, he was at the Inn. He didn't want too many people speculating about this new stranger in town who slept in a single woman's house.

At the end of the week, Jill had completely revived. Before Skye left she promised to only go drinking once a week and to watch to his cooking show every Monday at 8:00 pm. He even gave her an address and a phone number, just in case she wanted to write or call when she was feeling down. It would be a hard road without being together, but they both knew they would be living with a hope strong enough to conquer the nagging loneliness of living apart.

"And you promise you'll wait for me?" Skye asked coyly. Jill giggled and hugged Skye tightly. Bags in hand, Skye and Jill stood at the exit from the valley. They lingered for quite some time before Jill let Skye go.

"I'll wait for a thousand years if I have to. Do you promise I'll only have to wait for two?" Jill frowned. Skye chuckled.

"I promise."

Skye and Jill stood silently for several moments, each having so much to say but not the time or strength to say it. There was only time for goodbye, and...

"I love you." Jill and Skye said at once. They both smiled at each other, and gave each other one more long embrace before separating.

Skye walked backwards for a few steps, taking in Jill for the last time in a long time. He smiled, and she smiled back. The sun set over the valley, shining onto Jill's beautiful face, filling it with light and hope and the home that Skye had always wanted. The beautiful red, oranges, yellows, and pinks shaded the valley around her and scarred the beautiful scene into Skye's memory. No matter where he wandered and for how long, Skye was convinced that he would always make it back home to the valley, home to the most beautiful girl he would ever have the pleasure of knowing.


	16. It's a Boy

Ha! And you thought you were safe. This story isn't over yet! T_T Why!? Why do I do this to us?

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"Marlin! I have a surprise!" Celia said excitedly from the kitchen. Marlin had just opened the door, ready for dinner after a long day in the field. She had just been in the seed shed with Vesta and himself, so he knew the news had to be exciting if she wanted to tell him alone. Marlin smiled and sat down at the small table in Vesta's humble abode.

"What is it?" Marlin smiled. Celia was glowing. She beamed as she came closer. She stood next to him, bending down to kiss him on the forehead. Marlin chuckled.

"What's the one thing you've always wanted, but didn't think you could have?" Celia asked. Marlin crossed his arms and thought for a moment. Celia had to hold herself back from jumping in excitement.

"A dog," Marlin said truthfully, "I've wanted one since I was a kid, but Vesta and my mother were both allergic. I could never have one." Celia giggled and knelt to the ground. She looked up at Marlin with a large grin.

"Well," Celia said, "It's not a dog... it's closer to a puppy." Marlin scratched his head.

"Are we getting a kitten?" Marlin asked. Celia burst out laughing. Marlin sighed. "A cow, then? You know we don't have a place to put large animals."

"No no," Celia giggled, standing up. She grabbed Marlin's hand and put it over her uterus. "It's a human puppy." Marlin looked up at her for a moment before gasping. He stood up quickly and hugged Celia softly. They were going to have a child together... and Marlin was already scared. Celia had always gotten sick easily. Though he was happy, he didn't know if she would survive. Her body might even reject the baby, and she might get sick from the sorrow. He didn't even think it was possible for Celia to have a child. She had told him once, long ago, that it would be almost impossible for her to conceive if she were married. "Marlin?" Celia asked. Marlin hugged her a little tighter, and Celia giggled. "I knew you'd be happy."

Three months passed. Celia's morning sickness was intense. She grew thin as her belly grew large, but Dr. Hardy just told Celia to eat more and take it easy with the work. Marlin grew more worried day by day. One day, he came home early only to hear Celia crying. He rushed upstairs to see her bent over the toilet in the upstairs bathroom.

"Goddess," Celia gasped, "No more..!" Celia got sick in the toilet soon afterwards and flushed immediately afterwards. She took a few deep breaths and stood up unsteadily. Marlin took a step forward, but stopped himself. Celia walked over to her mirror and turned to the side. She put her hands on her barely showing baby bump and gave the mirror a beautiful smile before picking up her toothbrush and working on her teeth. Marlin was about to throw in the towel and tell her to go to the city so that the hospital could look after her for the rest of her pregnancy but...

Marlin headed back down the stairs, a feeling of dread still in his heart. It was normal for him to be anxious, wasn't it? Galen told him it was. He trusted the old man's advice, but Galen didn't have Celia for a wife. She was sent to the valley because the air was said to have healing properties. Though it worked for most illnesses, Celia still got sick often. If she got sick in this condition... Marlin shook his head. Suddenly, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his abdomen.

"Marlin, you're home early!" Celia exclaimed, "What do you say we pick out some names?" Marlin scratched his head.

"Uh, about that," Marlin said, "Maybe we should wait a little longer." Celia's arms dropped, and she walked in front of him to face him. Her eyes seemed duller than normal. Maybe it was just the light.

"Honey," Celia said, "I want to name him now."

"Him?" Marlin asked, "Or Her?" Celia turned away.

"It's a boy... I can just feel it." Celia whispered. She quickly turned to Marlin again with a smile plastered on her face. "I was thinking we could name him Jack, or Jake. I've always liked those names." Marlin sat down at the table, giving in to her wishes. He just didn't want the baby to be named if they ended up losing it. It would make things much more painful.

"How about Jacob?" Marlin asked, "That's my grandfather's name. He was a great farmer. It was a rumor in our family that he never got sick." Celia giggled.

"Jacob... it sounds... perfect." Celia gave a dreamy sigh and then went to the refrigerator to get ingredients for fish stew. Marlin scratched his head.

"What if it's a girl?" Marlin asked. Celia sighed.

"It's not a girl, but I was thinking about Naomi," Celia giggled, "Maybe next time." Marlin's heart sunk. She wanted to go through all of this again? He would give her time to think about it after she gave birth. Maybe she would change her mind after going through so much sickness and pain. He hated that pain became normal for her. How she kept her smile was an absolute mystery to him.

"Okay. Jacob or Naomi." Marlin nodded. He looked over at Celia working busily in the kitchen and allowed himself a small smile. Soon after Vesta came in. The darkened mood returned to normal when his boisterous sister exclaimed that she could eat an entire horse for lunch. They all laughed and sat down together. For this moment, everything was right in the world.

...

Jill's heart skipped a beat in her chest. She stood on the beach behind Marlin, staring at the back of his head in disbelief. It was sundown, six months after Skye had left. Everything in the valley was going well for everyone. That was... until now.

"What?" she gasped lightly, the world seeming weak underneath her feet. This couldn't be happening. "N-no! No you're wrong!" Marlin turned around quickly and grabbed Jill by the shoulders. He stared into her eyes, desperately willing her to stop talking before bringing her close. Without warning Marlin started sobbing like a small child, and Jill hesitantly wrapped his arms around him. She gently rubbed his back, tears coming to her eyes when she realized he wasn't lying.

Celia had passed away just an hour ago. Jill had heard that she had a severe fever, but medicine took fevers away. Jill gasped.

"And the baby?"

Marlin relaxed for a moment and took a deep breath, not letting go of Jill. Celia had been seven months pregnant. Jill anticipated the news, hoping that Marlin hadn't lost everything in one day.

"We named him Jacob, after my grandfather. He's- He's doing alright. Dr. Hardy says he has a recipe for formula but..." Marlin sniffed, "I don't know how I'm going to do it without her. Vesta doesn't know anything about childcare. I know I'm much stronger now, but with Celia gone there will be more work to do." Jill still rubbed Marlin's back, comforting him.

"Don't worry," Jill murmured, "This valley is a family, remember? I'm sure plenty of people are willing to watch him. If you can't find anyone else, I would be happy to carry and care for him while I'm doing farm work. I'm here for you Marlin... you know I always will be." Marlin pulled away from her, wiping the tears from his eyes. He sat down on the ground, exhausted and still not able to believe that she was truly gone. Jill sat close to him, propping him up. "Now... tell me everything."

Marlin took a deep breath and gazed at the ocean. "It started when..."

...

Six months into the pregnancy, something changed in Celia. She got even weaker than before. Things like cooking and walking up and down the stairs got more difficult. She had trouble breathing. She started running fevers once a week, and then three days of every week. Dr. Hardy gave her medicine, but she refused to take it because he had warned that it could hurt the baby. Marlin begged her to take it.

Seven and a half months into the pregnancy, Marlin woke up to the sound of screaming. Vesta was already out of bed.

"Run and get Dr. Hardy!" Vesta shouted, "Quickly!" Marlin wasted no time. He ran as fast as he could across the bridge and to the old doctor's house. He knocked furiously. Dr. Hardy opened the door with his tools in a bag. He nodded to Marlin and started to hobble as fast as he could towards Vesta's farm. Upon arrival, Marlin was instructed to stay downstairs. He was alert, listening to Celia's groans. Why was the baby so early? He heard Vesta pacing upstairs, and Dr. Hardy's cooing voice.

Marlin tried to calm his heart but he knew something was terribly wrong. Dr. Hardy was speaking with Vesta in hushed tones. He didn't hear Celia moaning. Was she... no, she must have fainted. Marlin stood up and started to go up the stairs, but then he heard a cry. His heart leaped. Their baby had arrived. Somebody moved towards the stairs. He moved out of the way to see Vesta coming down. The baby was in her arms, whimpering and crying into the cold world it had been born into.

"It's a boy..." Vesta said, tears in her eyes. Marlin took the baby into his arms. It felt... strange. Marlin looked into the baby's soft blue eyes, a brown tuft of hair already growing on the top of his head. Vesta wiped away her tears and walked over to the bed, sobbing softly. Marlin was so shocked by the life in his arms that he'd forgotten about the one upstairs. He heard no noise. His arms shook, the baby squirming in discomfort. He slowly made his way up the stairs, heart climbing into his throat.

Upstairs, Celia lay silent in her bed, her body completely still. There was a massive amount of blood on her sheets, with two more bloody sets on the side. Dr. Hardy bowed his head, his hands and arms covered in blood. "I'm sorry Marlin..." Dr. Hardy whispered hoarsely, "She didn't make it." Marlin fought the urge to fall to his knees. The baby had quieted in his arms. Marlin looked down at the baby, the only thing tying him to the world. This baby was all that was left of Celia... of her beautiful smile and her positive attitude.

"Jacob," Marlin said, choking up, "Celia, this is our son, Jacob. You were right. It's a boy." Marlin started sobbing in front of Dr. Hardy, and the baby, disquieted by the sound of sobbing and the jerking movements of his father's arms wailed into the night of the valley that would know Celia no more.

...

"The funeral is in two days," Marlin sighed. He had no more tears to cry, though he doubted that they would be the last, "I still can't believe it. Where was the goddess? Isn't she supposed to look over us? Why is Celia gone? She was so innocent, Jill." Jill looked up at the sky. The sun had gone down and the stars were slowly popping up. In certain stories or movies, there would have been a star she hadn't noticed before, shining more brightly that the rest. But, this was real life. Celia was gone... and Marlin was scared and alone with a child that would remind him of his wife's death until the day he died.

"I don't know the answer to that," Jill said softly, "But I do know that life gets better." Marlin relaxed slightly against Jill's shoulder. He also looked up at the stars. "You'll be tempted to think that this is the end. You might think that your pain won't go away. You're right." Jill rested her head on Marlin's shoulder. "But it will fade. It's not something you can drink away. You can drink to forget it, but you'll always remember the pain as vividly as it was the moment it started. The longer you live and think about it, the easier it is to move on." Jill wiped a tear from her eye. "So... cry. Yell if you need to. Smash a watermelon or two. But remember that Jacob needs you. One day he'll grow up and he'll want to know how beautiful and wonderful his mother was... and he'll need to know that you don't blame him for her death."

"Or..." Marlin started. Jill lifted her head off of his shoulder.

"Or what?" Jill asked.

"Or he needs to think that someone else is his mother."

Jill gasped lightly. How could Marlin think that way? The child was Celia's. After thinking for a moment, Jill understood what he meant. In a way, he was right. The child would need to grow up with a mother. He couldn't just be passed from village member to village member. Marlin would always be busy working on his sister's farm, and didn't seem like the type that would know how to nurture a child's sense of wonder and imagination. Though it could be learned, Jacob would grow up feeling like something was missing. Jacob wouldn't remember being born. What he would remember is the love and care of the man and woman who raised him.

"But who-" Jill stopped her sentence short. There was only one other woman Marlin would be comfortable enough raising a child with. Jill had been writing back and forth with Skye for six months. She watched his show every Friday. In a year and a half, Skye would be done with his show and would be on his way back. What would Skye think of Marlin moving into her house with a baby? What would he think of her raising someone else's child? Just when she thought true love was in her grasp, duty had tapped her on the shoulder and reminded her that it always came first. She would be willing to do it. For Marlin, for Jacob and... for Celia. She refused to lie to Skye because it was wrong, and because he had an informant who would likely tell him sooner rather than later.

"I don't know if I could do it without your help," Marlin sighed, wiping tears from his eyes, "I don't care what the valley thinks, but, if you could do this with me... maybe everything would be alright." Jill whimpered. She couldn't say no. But... Skye would say no. She knew that if Marlin moved into her house, the villagers would expect them to get married. But, Jill was in love with Skye. They had even started talking about marriage in the future. She couldn't abandon her love of Skye, but... she couldn't turn down a friend.

"Okay." Jill said breathlessly, "We can do it. I'll help you every step of the way. I'll treat Jacob as if he came from my own womb. I'll teach him to talk and to walk, how to use the bathroom, how to grow crops and feed animals and cook. I'll love him more than I've loved anything on this Earth. And you better do the same." Marlin nodded quietly. His heart slowed down and he relaxed completely for the first moment since the early hours of the morning when he learned of Celia's passing. Maybe the goddess was watching.

That night, after Jill made sure Marlin made it home safely, Jill sat down at her table and wrote the hardest letter she would ever write.

_'My Love,_

_It seems that I've been caught between duty and love once more. Just when I thought I was free to love you with all that I am, I was pulled back to the ground by the gravity of a situation I can't refuse. Less than twenty-four hours ago, my friend Marlin's wife passed away while in childbirth. The baby, Jacob, was fine. He is healthy, but without a mother. Because he has no memories, this is the ideal time for him to have a motherly replacement. _

_I must do this in the name of friendship and in the name of love. If I can give this little boy the chance at life he deserves by giving him all the love that a mother can, than I have done my best. Soon, Marlin and Jacob will move into my house and we will live as if they baby is our own. I'm sure the villagers will have expectations of us, but I plan to hold out for as long as possible. _

_Skye... I love you more than I thought was possible. I will love you until I breathe my very last breath. My heart belongs to you and you alone, but this home now belongs to Marlin and Jacob as well as myself. By taking on this task, I know that I have to let you go. Marlin has to raise his own child, and I am the child's new mother. Unless you want to wait eighteen years to live together in the light of day, I'm afraid duty has won over love._

_I will never forget you. It's impossible to forget someone you love so passionately. I will see you in my dreams every night. If you think of a way that we can be together, please don't stop writing to me. If you have faith that we can somehow get around this, please give me a sign. I wanted to love you forever. I wanted to marry you and have children with you. I would have given my entire life just to be at your side. But my life doesn't just affect me anymore. _

_This life thing is pretty funny isn't it? Just when everything you ever wanted is at your fingertips it's blown away by the unexpected winds of change. I will always love you Skye._

_Forever your Princess,_

_Jill'_

Jill put the tear soaked letter into an envelope and put it in her mailbox. Her heart broke. For Marlin, for Jacob, for Celia, for herself... and above all, for Skye.

...

The funeral was attended by the whole village. It was there that Marlin announced his plan to the villagers about raising Jacob with Jill and having Jacob believe that Jill was his mother until Marlin and Jill decided that he was old enough. The villagers agreed with the plan, and Marlin and Jacob were moved into Jill's house later that day. Dr. Hardy came by and taught the two everything they needed to know about feeding the baby and changing diapers. Afterwards, quite a few villagers popped in to offer their condolences. The visits had stopped after 9:00. Marlin sat quietly at the table and Jill held Jacob in her arms.

He was a perfect fit. Suddenly, the phone rang. Marlin rushed to pick it up so that the baby wouldn't be disturbed enough to start wailing again.

"Hello?" Marlin answered.

"Hello," the voice said, "Might I have a word with Jill?" Marlin looked strangely at the receiver. The voice sounded oddly familiar. He shook his head and handed the phone to Jill before heading to the bathroom. Jill balanced the baby in one arm and held the phone with the other.

"Hello?" Jill asked.

"I got your letter." Skye replied. Jill was silent. A soothing fuzz drifted into Jill's ear from the long distance connection. "It doesn't have to end like this. I have a proposal for you." Jill relaxed slightly. She didn't see a way out of this, but Skye had been a master thief for years. He had to have a plan for every situation. "My heart goes out to the poor man and the child. I know why you have to take them in. Your heart is truly beautiful, Jill. It's one of the reasons that I'll never stop loving you."

"You're gonna make me cry," Jill laughed, a tear rolling down her cheek, "So what's the plan?"

"Well, you'll raise the child. You'll be with Marlin. No funny business, though, you're still my girl." Skye frowned. Jill laughed despite herself and Skye smiled. "That's my girl. My TV show is going really well. They want me on television all the time. I wrote in a weekend every month for me to get away when I signed my newest contract, and they agreed. If you marry me, raise Jacob with Marlin, and one weekend a month come to see me, I'll keep managing my restaurants and my television show until you decide Jacob is old enough to hear the truth. If I have enough money to retire by then, I'll come to live with you."

"That sounds great if you assume nothing goes wrong." Jill laughed through tears of happiness.

"What could possibly go wrong?" Skye asked. Jill smiled.

"Well, what if the network decides they don't want you anymore?" Jill asked.

"I go to a different one or focus on my restaurants." Skye retorted.

"And what if you don't have enough money to retire when we decide Jacob is old enough?" Jill questioned.

"Then I work with you on the farm my lovely farmer." Skye chuckled. Jill took a deep breath.

"And what if I get pregnant?" Skye was silent. After awhile, Skye sighed.

"When I was younger, my hair was black." Skye frowned, "I suppose you could tell the villagers that it's Marlin's."

"But that's not very convincing to Marlin," Jill said sadly. Skye was silent again.

"Marlin's a drinker, isn't he?" Skye asked, "You could just tell him you had sex when he got drunk."

Jill was silent. There was no good way to go about that.

"And you wouldn't doubt for a second that the child was yours?" Jill asked.

"Not for a single second." Skye replied, "I trust you." Jill sighed. After raising a child together and pretending to be married in front of the whole town, would she be able to trust herself?

"Okay," Jill said, "It's much better than nothing."

"I love you," Skye said victoriously, "Every third Friday of the month in the afternoon, meet me in the secret compartment of your barn. Leave a note for Marlin so he doesn't worry, and we'll steal away until Sunday afternoon when I have to leave."

"Okay. I love you, too." Jill said.

"Until next Friday, my love." Skye whispered seductively. The phone gave a dial tone and Jill set the phone back on the hook. What had she gotten herself into? Jacob was sleeping soundly in her arms. She heard the flush of the toilet and she turned around and smiled. Marlin smiled back at her and then looked uncertainly at the baby in her arms. He looked more comfortable in her arms than he felt in his own.

Marlin walked over to the pair and put his hands in his pockets. It was so strange living alone with another woman. He hadn't even lived alone when he was with Celia because Vesta was always nearby. He wondered how long it would be before he found himself falling in love again. Hopefully it wouldn't be for a long time. Marlin leaned down and kissed Jacob on the forehead before getting into the nightstand and grabbing his pajamas.

"I think I'll go change.." Marlin said, walking to the bathroom again. Jill nodded and put Jacob in the crib that Celia had gotten as a gift from her good friend Karen from Mineral Town. She walked to her nightstand and shed her clothes, putting on her night clothes. After putting her dirty clothes in a hamper, She heard the bathroom door open. Marlin stepped out in blue striped pajamas to match her pink ones. They looked like they were having a slumber party. Marlin's heart raced.

"So... how is this going to work?" Marlin asked. Jill smiled sweetly. "I don't mind cuddling. Just no funny business." She joked. Marlin blushed and Jill laughed nervously. She crawled into her bed and Marlin turned off the lights. He felt his way around the room and crawled into bed with Jill. He never would have guessed that he would be sleeping so close to another woman so soon after his wife's death. Celia... she was gone. She wouldn't be humming happy tunes until she fell asleep anymore. Marlin found the silence disturbing. He lay on his back, looking at the darkness.

"Hey Jill..." Marlin whispered. Jill turned over to face him.

"What is it?" Jill asked.

"Will you hum a song?" Marlin asked. Jill thought for a moment before reaching out and holding his hand.

"I'll never be Celia," Jill reminded Marlin, "But I will for you tonight."

Jill hummed a happy tune, and Marlin thought about what she had said as he drifted off to sleep, heartache eased until he would wake up again.

* * *

... Read &amp; Review ... T_T Tell me how you feel. I know how I feel. Celia's one of my favorite characters in the franchise.


	17. The Skye is the Limit

Well, I'm officially graduated! :D I also start a full time job on May 31st, which means no more homework! Hopefully I'll be able to write regularly now. This story should be finished up in no time. :3 Thanks for all of your support so far, and I'm so sorry for what probably seemed like the longest wait ever.

* * *

Jill awoke to the sound of Marlin snoring softly on the other side of the bed. She hadn't even heard him come home last night. Jill yawned and turned over. It was 5:57 AM on Friday. Her heart stirred in her chest. Skye would be here today... Marlin mumbled something in his sleep, bring Jill back to reality. She rubbed her eyes and turned her alarm off. Jacob slept soundly in his crib, making Jill smile. He looked so much like Celia. But his eyes... they were the same blue eyes that his father had. She wished that she felt more like a mother to Jacob, but it all seemed... temporary. Maybe that would change with time. It had only been a few days after all. Jill, moving quietly, removed Jacob from his crib and walked outside. Morning work went slowly, especially working one-handed, but it was in the service of a friend. How could she complain? Thankfully, Jacob had inherited his mother's cheerful attitude, and whenever Jill looked at him he beamed as if he were seeing light for the first time.

After the animals had been brushed, milked, and fed, and all the crops had been watered, Jill wandered back to the house. Opening the door, she noticed Marlin stir under the covers. It was past noon. Jill turned on the light and Marlin moaned before sitting up.

"Good afternoon, sleepy head," Jill chuckled, "Would you like some lunch? Marlin looked over at Jill and Jacob groggily. Jacob fidgeted under the gaze of his father. After a few seconds he started to whimper. Jill bounced him lightly and turned towards the kitchen. "How about an omelet? I can also make some toast. Or maybe something heartier? I have everything to make risotto, or maybe gratin."

Marlin rubbed his eyes and slid out of bed. He ached. What had he done last night? "An omelet sounds fine." Marlin replied before getting some clean clothes and walking to the bathroom to change.

Jill looked worriedly over her shoulder as the bathroom door closed. She looked over at Jacob who smiled happily. She didn't understand why Marlin never made a move to hold him. He made formula, changed diapers, and bought toys, but he never held or cuddled the boy. He didn't interact with him except for the occasional glance which made Jacob squirm in her arms. Jill sighed and flipped the omelet in the pan. She would have to give Jacob to Lumina to babysit for the weekend.

...

"I'm not exactly sure why," Lumina said, taking the giggling baby boy into her arms, "but I'd be glad to watch him over the weekend." Jill sighed in relief.

"I just don't think he'll get the attention he needs with just Marlin, and Vesta is too busy with the farm and the shop most of the day. He doesn't hold Jacob at all. It's got to be a Celia thing but... I think it's best if I leave him here while I'm gone." Lumina smiled and nodded. The twins started crying in the back, and Jill smiled. "I guess that's my cue to leave." Jill joked. Lumina laughed and turned inside.

"Sebastian usually helps," Lumina said. Jill looked at her with an arched eyebrow and Lumina cracked up. "Okay, okay! Sebastian does like 80% of the work, but I definitely help. Jacob will be in very capable hands." Jill laughed and hugged Lumina and Jacob before waving goodbye. Lumina hurried inside where the twins were no longer crying, and Jill breathed a sigh of relief as she headed through the woods towards her house. She had already told Marlin that she was leaving for the weekend and that Jacob would be at Lumina's house.

Jill walked down the steep hills towards her farm, carefully stepping so that she didn't injure herself. Her heart beat wildly inside of her chest as she got closer and closer to the barn. She made it safely to her farmland and walked around the perimeter, quickly running to the entrance of the barn when she got close. It was already 6:00; she knew that Marlin had left and that Takakura wouldn't be back yet, but she still took precautions. Jill opened the door to the secret compartment and took the ladder down to the floor.

As soon as her feet were on the ground, lights turned on. Jill spun around quickly to see Skye with his arms wide open. She ran to them and they hugged, not letting go for what seemed to be five minutes. Skye bent down and kissed her softly, holding her tightly to him. Jill didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry, so she did both. After coming to her senses, Jill realized that her secret compartment had been revamped into a small apartment.

"I know it's a little small compared to what you have above ground," Skye chuckled, "but I thought you would like it anyway." Jill looked around. There was plenty of light, a small kitchen, a small room in the back that seemed to be a functional bathroom, a clock, a table, a refrigerator, a small shelf, and a large bed. It was all tastefully put together in a modern style. It looked almost better than the house she was living in.

"It's beautiful," Jill gasped, "but... how in the hell did you get it in here without anyone noticing!?" Skye chuckled and wiped a tear line off of Jill's cheek.

"I have my ways," Skye smiled, "I'm glad you like it."

...

Jill woke up at 3:00 in the morning to the sound of Skye rustling around in the apartment. Jill sat up and turned on the light on the nightstand. Skye looked over at her. He was dressed all in black, and was slipping on a black pair of shoes to go with it.

"Oh good," Skye beamed, "You're up!" Jill stretched and walked over to Skye. He happily pulled her close and planted a quick kiss on her lips. "I want to show you something, but you'll need to put on these." Skye picked up another set of black clothing and Jill eyed them carefully.

"We're not stealing anything are we?" Jill asked suspiciously. Skye laughed.

"Well, we're stealing away into the night," Skye smiled, "and I think I'll manage to steal your heart away for good." Jill laughed and then took the clothing into the bathroom to change. "I don't know why you're so shy," Skye said, "I've already seen more of you than you think!" Jill threw her normal clothes on Skye through the bathroom door.

"Looking is all you're going to do until we're married." Jill retorted. Skye chuckled.

"Oh, old fashioned are we?" Skye asked, "I suppose that's a good idea, seeing as you've done nothing but promise to wait for me... I guess I haven't promised anything to you at all. Sexy and smart, that's my girl." Jill stepped out of the bathroom clothed head to toe in black. Skye smiled and started to walk up the ladder.

"Where are we going?" Jill asked. Skye grinned back at her.

"Oh... just up the hill." And with no further explanation, Skye climbed the ladder into the barn. Jill followed Skye up the ladder, shutting the underground apartment door behind her. She stepped out of the barn, still exhausted and felt Skye grab her hand. Together they started walking through the forest surrounding her farm, towards Goddess Pond. Jill grasped Skye's hand tightly. She knew where they were headed, but she didn't really know why. She remembered the time he had come to her after Marlin had broken her heart. That seemed like ages ago... it had been a few years after all.

After a short spell, Skye and Jill came to the top of the hill to the backside of Goddess Pond. Dressed in black, they couldn't be seen. They were far enough away from the pond not to be heard from the other side. Skye sat down, and patted the ground next to him. Jill sat down quietly and looked on. The moon and stars shone brightly on the surface of the pond.

"Is this what-" Jill started.

"Shh!" Skye replied, "It's about to start."

Jill smiled and waited patiently. At the stroke of four, Jill saw someone passing the hot springs. Jill narrowed her eyes, trying to make out who it was. Finally, the figure approached the bank of the pond, the light hitting their face. It was a woman with wavy blonde hair and red eyes. Jill had never seen her before. Jill looked over at Skye, who was watching intently. Jill looked back and saw the woman reach inside her satchel, almost reverently. She pulled out an old, worn out boot that was covered in mud. Jill scratched her head and watched the woman toss in the boot, a look of freedom passing her face. Almost immediately, there was a flash of light. Jill gasped lightly, and Skye grinned.

The Harvest Goddess appeared suddenly, facing the woman. "You witch!" The Goddess exclaimed, "You may be a Princess but you're awful!" The witch threw back her head and laughed.

"Whatcha gonna do about it?" The Witch retorted, "It's not like you can leave the pond after you called the Harvest King bald." The Goddess' face turned red and the witch walked away, laughing. The Goddess pouted.

"Why does she taunt me so?" The Goddess said, wiping a tear from her eye. Suddenly, Skye stood up and threw something in the pond. The Goddess walked over to the floating object and picked it up. She blushed lightly. "Oh..." She smiled, "Who's there?" Skye held out his hand to Jill. Jill grabbed it, dumbfounded, and together they walked forward.

"We're here," Skye said with a warm smile, "We come bearing this gift and... a request." Jill looked over at Skye. What could he possibly be up to now?

"Hmmm," the Goddess murmured before looking up, "Normally I don't interact with mortals, but your gift is so moving I think I'll make your exception. What's your request?" Skye turned towards Jill.

"Will you marry us?" Skye asked. Jill's eyes widened, her face flushed.

"Skye...!" Jill exclaimed. It wouldn't be a marriage on paper, but it would be a promise. They would be married together, by the Harvest Goddess herself. Jill's heart skipped a beat. The Harvest Goddess beamed.

"I have seen you two," the Harvest Goddess grinned, "I know the love you have one another, and the pain you have had to go through to get here today. I have loved watching you. I've been rooting for you! Not that Marlin is a bad guy, but you genuinely love Skye. Duty is important, but there are plenty of people willing to take on extra work so that you can be truly happy. Oh my gosh!"

"She's our fangirl..." Jill joked under her breath to Skye. Skye chuckled, still holding fast to Jill's hand.

"Okay, okay," the Harvest Goddess said, "Do you, Skye, take Jill to be your wife? Remember, this is forever, and I'll kick your butt if you don't take care of her when she needs it AND when she doesn't."

"I do." Skye laughed, looking into Jill's eyes. Jill blushed.

"And do you, Jill, take Skye to be your husband? Again, this is FOREVER, and I wouldn't kick your butt but I would tell your mother if you don't take care of your husband when he needs it AND when he doesn't." Jill nodded.

"I do." Jill grinned and Skye smiled back at her.

"Great!" The Goddess exclaimed, "Now, by the power vested in me as Harvest Goddess of this valley, I now pronounce you man and wife because I've seen the love between you two and I know that you will not part. I also know that Skye didn't do this just as a means to sleep with you, although he does find you beautiful in every way. I mean EVERY way." The Goddess laughed. Skye turned bright red and Jill almost died laughing. "Thank you two for coming to visit me, though I really don't know how you found out I lived here... Anyway, this made my night much better. Now go! Be happy together."

Just like that, the Harvest Goddess disappeared. Skye was still holding Jill's hand. They didn't let go for the rest of the night.

...

Jill woke up at 3:00 AM Monday morning. Skye was sleeping soundly beside her, arm wrapped around her waist. She turned around to face him, and he opened his eyes. They stared at each other for a long time. It had been a long weekend, but now that it was time to leave everything seemed so short.

"You're going to miss your flight." Jill whispered. Skye moved Jill's wild hair behind her ear.

"I love you too much to leave again." Skye whispered back. Jill moved her hand up to Skye's and grabbed it softly. Skye smiled warmly and Jill smiled back, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. They stayed there until the sun came up, and then they both left, already counting the days until they saw each other again.

...

Marlin sat at the table with Jill and watched her make funny faces at Jacob. A month had passed since Celia had passed on, and Marlin still couldn't bring himself to do much but drink wine and watch Jacob develop into the bouncing baby echo of Celia that he could never get rid of. Not that he wanted to get rid of him, but when Celia was the most painful thing to think about, it didn't help to have part of her with him all day every day. He still blamed himself for not taking her to the hospital when the sickness got worse. Even though the baby was part of Celia, the worst part of the pain was, when the baby looked his way, he saw his own eyes staring back. He hadn't held Jacob since the first time he laid eyes on him.

"I need a drink," Marlin said, abruptly setting his bottle of wine aside. Jill looked from Jacob over to Marlin, her silly face instantaneously changing into a weary one. Jill held Jacob up to her shoulder and he cooed gently, oblivious to the situation, "something from the Blue Bar." Marlin finished. He and Jill stared at each other until Jill finally sighed. He had been at the Blue Bar every night for the past month. Lately, he didn't come home until early morning. She trusted Griffin and Muffy to take care of him, but Jill needed to take initiative. She was Marlin's friend, after all. She remembered when she started drinking the pain away when Skye left. She couldn't let Marlin go through the same thing, even if he hadn't helped her.

"Okay," Jill finally agreed, "But Jacob and I are going with you." Marlin nodded and got up, Jill walking by his side with what seemed to be the happiest baby in the world in her arms. If only he knew.

...

The Blue Bar was empty except for Griffin and Muffy, and when the three arrived, Marlin was glad. Griffin chuckled to himself as he saw Jill tote the baby into the bar. Despite the bringing of the baby to this particular location, Jill seemed to naturally adapt to motherhood. This was the first time Griffin and Muffy had seen Jacob, so naturally Muffy lit up when she saw the baby and immediately made a beeline for him. Jill laughed as Muffy took the baby into her arms and snuggled him. Jacob, naturally curious, reached out to play with Muffy's hair. Marlin sat down at the bar and ordered a strong drink, an order that was becoming rather typical for him. Jill looked at Muffy glow as she played with the baby.

"He loves you!" Jill exclaimed happily. Muffy blushed, playing lightly with the tuft of brown hair that seemed to grow thicker by the day. Jacob smiled happily back at Muffy and reached towards her face. There was an instant connection between the two. Jill's heart skipped a beat. She had known how difficult it had been for Muffy to find love. All of the boys that she found or seemed to weave their way into her life had used her for eye candy and other things. Muffy had recently hit thirty-two years old, though she didn't look any older than twenty-five. Still, with love seemingly so far out of reach, Jacob seemed to be the representation of the dreams that she might never achieve. Jill felt a pang of guilt in her heart. She wished Marlin was more comfortable with Muffy. Muffy seemed like the perfect person to be a mother to Jacob, but she didn't know how a marriage between Marlin and Muffy might go.

"He's so precious," Muffy cooed, smiling happily down at Jacob and bringing Jill back to reality, "I've always wanted a baby... every day I seem to be a little bit farther away from one." Jill cleared her throat and smiled.

"Well, if you're free during the day or over the weekends," Jill smiled, "I do need a babysitter." Muffy's eyes lit up.

"Really?" Muffy asked, "I would love to! Oh, I love babies so much! He'll be well taken care of, I promise!" Jill laughed and Marlin turned around. He didn't know that taking care of the baby had been so hard on Jill. He imagined it would be a little difficult, but...

"Don't worry about the baby," Griffin grunted from across the counter, "Muffy's a natural born mother. Sure, she looks high maintenance, but she cares a lot about other people. That kid will be safer with her than he would be with the Goddess herself." Marlin looked back at Muffy holding the baby and relaxed. She and the baby looked so natural together... he had come face to face with yet another person who looked more comfortable with his child than he would ever be.

Marlin turned back to the bar and took a swig of his drink. He couldn't do this forever. Jill might find someone else. Muffy probably wouldn't babysit forever. Life was crashing in on him. Now that Celia had died, he realized that life never went as you expected it to. What had he been thinking, asking Jill to raise someone else's child? Maybe he had hoped that they could be remarried and that she could start to heal him. But, as time went on, he realized that he would have to do this healing by himself. Marlin chugged his drink and asked Griffin for another. Griffin brought it, wiping the first empty glass with a towel and setting it in the sink.

Three strong drinks later, and Griffin was taking Marlin to the back to lay down. Jacob slept soundly in Muffy's arms, and Jill sighed.

"I just... I don't know what to do." Jill sighed, "Marlin's not doing well. Vesta can't cheer him up... he won't even hold Jacob. I think he needs to be somewhere new..." Muffy slowly transferred the baby into Jill's arms. "At least... for a little while. I was thinking of putting him up at the Inn in Mineral Town for a week or so, just so he could relax without Celia constantly on his mind." Muffy poured herself a drink and downed it just before Griffin opened the door.

"I think it's a good idea," Muffy said, "Doesn't your brother live there?" Jill nodded and Griffin approached.

"He's laying down. I think it's a good idea for Muffy to watch over him tonight." Griffin grunted, "I would do it, but I have to be up early tomorrow to go to the city." Jill gasped, and Muffy refilled her drink.

"Griffin, that's perfect!" Jill exclaimed, the baby shifting softly in her arms, "Do you think you'd be able to take Marlin with you?" Griffin scratched the stubble on his chin.

"I don't see why not. Where's he headed?" Griffin asked.

"Mineral Town," Jill said, "If I can convince him to go. I don't think it'll take much time in the state he's in." Griffin smiled.

"Anything for a friend," Griffin nodded, "I think it'll be good for the man to get away for awhile. I think he'll really like the wine they make there, too."

After a few more words of agreement, Jill handed the baby to Muffy and walked into the back. Marlin laid sprawled out on Griffin's bed. Jill could smell the stench of alcohol from the doorway.

"Marlin?" Jill asked lightly. Marlin stirred, his eyes blurry as he looked around the room. "Marlin, it's me."

"Celia..?" Marlin whispered. Jill became very quiet. Marlin sat up and looked around, his eyes focusing on Jill. He cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes. Jacob still slept soundly in her arms.

"Marlin," Jill said tenderly, "I think you need to go away for a little while to get your mind off of what happened." Marlin sniffed, a tear falling from his eye.

"I don't know what happened," Marlin said, turning into a child again, "It's like I can't do what I want to do. I have to drink or it hurts too bad even to look at him. He deserves better than that. He needs a father. Someone who will hold him in his arms and be proud to look at him and call him his son." Marlin started bawling, and Jacob woke up, starting to cry himself. Jill bounced Jacob lightly in her arms to quiet him down.

"You can BE that person, Marlin!" Jill exclaimed, "But you can't expect the pain to go right away. My brother lives in Mineral Town and we're willing to pay for your stay at the Inn. You can stay as long as you need to. I know it's a new place, but the air is still excellent and I'm positive you'll love it there. You need to take your mind off of this for awhile. You need to learn to be happy again so that you can come back, take Jacob in your arms and know that he's your Son, no matter what."

Marlin was silent for awhile before he nodded soberly. "Okay." Marlin said.

"You'll leave tomorrow, early in the morning." Jill said, "Griffin will get you to where you need to go. And then, when you can, come back. Everything will be fine here." Marlin nodded again and grabbed the rest of his drink from the bedside table. Marlin gulped it down and laid back down on the bed. Jill wrote him a note in the morning to explain everything just in case he didn't remember. And then, she left the room. She nodded to Griffin and Muffy and walked into the cold night. She wondered how long it would take Marlin to get better. Only one thing was certain. That man would have a hell of a hangover when he woke up.

...

Marlin woke up sometime in the middle of the night and groggily stared up at the ceiling he was beginning to know all too well. His head pounded. Marlin reached out for anything to ease the hangover headache. His hand came back with a letter. Marlin rubbed his eyes and sat up carefully, trying not to be sick. He opened the letter carefully and tried hard to focus on the words. He didn't know what to think. Was he really getting that bad? Marlin set his head in his hands and heard a rustle on the bed behind him. He looked back to see Muffy resting peacefully next to him. She was fully clothed, so nothing funny had happened... he didn't think. Besides, Muffy was a good friend, and way out of his league. He vaguely remembered pleading with her to hum him to sleep, so he assumed that was what happened. Still, he didn't want this to go on any longer. What if he got so drunk that he couldn't control himself? What if he started imagining Celia and hurt someone? He didn't think it would happen but... Marlin turned back to look at Muffy. He couldn't let anything bad happen to someone like Muffy. She looked so peaceful sleeping there. He had to change something... was leaving for a little while really the answer? Marlin looked at the clock and sighed. He did have a little while to decide.

...

Jill got up early and got Jacob from Lumina's house. Then, at around 6 AM, she walked into the bar. Marlin was waiting on one of the stools with a packed suitcase. Jill walked up to him and smiled warily. Marlin scratched his head, unable to process what was about to happen. Since the middle of the night, he had gone to Vesta's, taken a cold shower, and sobered up. He packed his bags, let Vesta know he was leaving and why. She agreed that it was for the best, but she also urged him to hurry home. Marlin assured that he would try his hardest.

"I..-" Marlin cut himself off. What could he say? Jill looked back at him expectantly, with love. Marlin relaxed. "I read your letter," Marlin started again, "And I agree. I do need to get away from everything for awhile. Mineral Town sounds like a great place to do it. I just hope taking care of Jacob won't be too hard on you. Well, you and... Muffy." Jill adjusted Jacob in her arms. Marlin looked away from the baby, but Jill stepped into his line of sight.

"Marlin... before you go..." Jill said, reaching out her hand to softly turn his head towards her, "Will you hold him? Jacob, I mean. I think he needs to be held by you at least once so that you remember why you need to come back." Marlin looked at the child nervously, a set of wary blue eyes staring back at him. Marlin took a deep breath and held out his arms. Jill handed Jacob over to Marlin, and Marlin nervously held him. Jacob started to whimper. "Bounce him a little bit." Jill said. Marlin obeyed, and Jacob almost instantly calmed down. "He's so light..." Marlin said, "I wonder how big he'll be when I get back." Jill grinned.

"People always say they grow up so fast," Jill smiled, "You better hurry back so you don't miss it. Besides... you're the only real parent he has left. Everyone here will raise him in some way or another, just like they would if you were here. But he still needs you more than he needs anyone else. And you'll need him. Once you get yourself straightened out, he'll be the only reminder of the happiness you felt when you were with Celia." Marlin shifted nervously on the bar stool and looked down at his son. He looked awkward and scared with the baby in his arms, but more than anything else, he looked like a father.

Griffin stepped out from the back with his guitar slung carefully over his shoulder. He acknowledged Jill and turned to Marlin.

"You ready to go?" Griffin asked. Marlin looked up from his son's eyes and met Griffin's. Marlin nodded and handed Jacob carefully to Jill.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Marlin sighed. His arms already fell light, like giving Jacob away had left him with a permanent absence. And just like that, Griffin and Marlin started their journey out of the Valley. Jill watched them from the bar window until they were out of sight, a queasy feeling coming over her. She knew that her brother would make sure Marlin straightened himself out, but the baby did need him. She hoped he wouldn't be too long.

* * *

And that's the end of Chapter 17! Stay tuned for more! At the very least I can promise you the next update will take less time than this update did. XD


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